May 21, 2009

1949 Tornado

Archive photos of the tornado that ravished Cape Girardeau 60 years ago.

unidentified

One of the freaks noted in the wake of the tornado was the position property owners found their possessions in after recovering from the storm shock. An example was this automobile on Perry Avenue, which was blown from the street into this tree and was left leaning on the tree and piled debris of a dwelling.

One of the badly hit residential sections was this area on North Sprigg Street. Here, as elsewhere, death and injury and damage were great.

unidentified

Sightseers by the thousands jammed streets in the city and Highway 61 on the west side May 22, 1949. This view, looking south on Highway 61 toward Independence street, was made in front of what was the Airline.

unidentified

Barely had the storm passed when owners of wrecked Cape Girardeau homes began the task of clearing away the debris in preparation for reconstruction. In the background was a part of the Norman Slinkard dwelling, and workers are shown against the background of the damaged Marvin Kerr dwelling in the 1300 block of Bend Road. (5-24-1949)

Telephone and power circuits in the storm's path were destroyed and the job of rebuilding these was a mammoth one, with scores of workmen almost constantly on the job. Here E.J. Russell, a cable splicer for the Southeast Missouri Telephone Co., worked from a swinging platform in the 800 block on North Henderson Avenue. One of the many broken trees on the streets is shown. (5-31-1949)

unidentified

A temporary shelter was set up at the Arena Building.

On May 21, 1949, a devastating tornado tore through Cape Girardeau. It struck the city at 6:56 p.m., a Saturday, and cut a path from Gordonville Road to the Mississippi River, just south of Cape Rock. Hardest hit were the Marble City Heights and Red Star subdivisions.

unidentified

Traffic was at a peak when thousands crowded streets in the storm area to view damage. National Guardsmen, using their communications system, and members of the U.S. Naval Reserve, controlled traffic.

The storm descended off Gordonville Road and swooped down on buildings along Highway 61. Debris littered the landscape. The Airline and other buildings demolished were at left.

Removal of broken trees constituted one major task in the cleanup that followed the tornado. Here workers of the Cape Special Road District, directed by the chief engineer, D.M. Scivally, used a big bulldozer to haul away the trees from Bend Road. Cape Girardeau, a city of lovely trees, suffered severely in the destruction of so many of them. (5-26-1949)

unidentified

SPOT WHERE CAPE TORNADO STARTED This aerial photo shows what was left of the Albert Spalding farmstead on the Gordonville Road about a mile west of Cape Girardeau following the May 21, 1949, storm. Buildings on this farm were the first damaged by the big funnel.

Not a dwelling in the area between Perry Avenue and West End Boulevard between Pemiscot Street, at the left, and Dunklin Avenue at the right, escaped the storm. In those spots where piles of rubble may be seen, there were once homes. After the storm, only smashed lumber remained. Note the shells of houses, unroofed by the twisting cloud, and those which were smashed practically to the ground.

unidentified

Searching for a few precious possessions after the tornado hit Cape Girardeau on May 21, 1949, these residents of the Rand, Johnson and Water streets area in the east side of the Red Star suburb toiled over the ruins of years of saving. This was the general area in which eight persons lost their lives.

The tornado twisted its way to the State College area and left this scene. Henderson is in the foreground, Dunklin at left. The Rush H. Limbaugh residence is at far right, the old L.R. Johnson house is in the foreground.

unidentified (receiving insurance check)

The American Cross was on the job almost before the tornado had passed on its way. The disaster section, directed by Lt. T.C. Hanson, of the organization hurriedly set up its shelter and began administering aid to storm victims. At left, Mrs. Marie Brooks, a nurse, gave first aid to Kenneth, small son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred L. Probst, whose dwelling at 1418 N. Spanish St., was blown away and they were injured.

Not a battle ground, but what a storm did in a matter of seconds. Utter destruction was the scene in the east edge of the Red Star suburb. Splintered wreckage littered the area.

Three churches were damaged by the tornado, including the Red Star Tabernacle, 1301 N. Main, and Third Street Methodist. This is what was left of the Church of God in Marble City Heights, on Emerald street, after the storm passed.

Impassable with the strewn debris of scores of dwellings, this street scene in the 1500 block of North Main street was typical of the storm's wrath.

unidentified

Before the north-most block of North Water Street could be opened to traffic, these two dwellings had to be moved. The roof of one and another house, virtually intact, were deposited in the street by the tornado.

$Scenes like this one grew increasingly greater the day after the tornado, as the Red Cross sought to determine the needs of victims. Mrs. Charles Lawson, 1535 Rand St., was being interviewed. She sustained a head injury, her husband a hip fracture. One of their children received a broken arm, two others bruises and one was unhurt.$

Scenes like this one grew increasingly greater the day after the tornado, as the Red Cross sought to determine the needs of victims. Mrs. Charles Lawson, 1535 Rand St., was being interviewed. She sustained a head injury, her husband a hip fracture. One of their children received a broken arm, two others bruises and one was unhurt.

unidentified

A smashed home. Dewey Varnum stood gazing ruefully at the debris of his dwelling at 1437 N. Main St. Behind him was Mrs. Varnum holding their 20-month-old daughter, Phyllis Ann.

Almost a total loss. The residence of Mr. and Mrs. Rush H. Limbaugh at 814 N. Henderson Ave. was mute evidence of the destructiveness of the 1949 tornado. The top section was blown away and the interior ruined. Mr. and Mrs. Limbaugh were away at the time attending the wedding of their son, Rush Jr., at Kennett and did not know of the storm until reaching home more than an hour after it passed.

Cape Girardeau, in less than a week, was fast rebuilding from the May 21 tornado. At the top a new dwelling was rising on the site of the dwelling of the Rev. and Mrs. J.H. Shirrell, 1113 N. Middle St. The original dwelling was blown completely away and the minister's family and several other persons, 10 in all, huddled into a storage room in the basement and escaped. The Rev. Jack Crowe, a visiting evangelist, was killed when the house was blown away.

Traffic was heavy the day following the tornado as sightseers flocked to the city. This was two-lane Highway 61 in front of the Airline. The tree was not dead. The storm simply stripped it of all its foliage.

Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!

Archive photos of the tornado that ravished Cape Girardeau 60 years ago.

Story Tags

Local News

Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:

For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.

Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!

Shopping

Links

Submission Forms

Sitemap Terms Privacy