Fort Smith in Sebastian County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

Great Cyclone at Fort Smith

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., January 17, 2016

1. Great Cyclone at Fort Smith Marker

Inscription.

A cyclone, carrying death and destruction in its wake, visited Fort Smith at 11:15 p.m. on Tuesday, January 11, 1898. Out of the western skies on an unusually balmy night came first an epic show of lightning followed by heavy winds. Then with the roar of a thousand freight trains a tornado of great proportion sprang from the Indian Territory, leaping over the Arkansas River and striking first at the National Cemetery then turning its force on Garrison Avenue, cutting a mile-long, 500 yard swath of destruction through Fort Smith. Property damage was placed at half a million dollars. As a beautiful morning dawned on January 12th, 55 people were dead or dying and 113 were seriously injured.

Erected 2012 by City of Fort Smith and Others.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is January 11, 1898.

Location. 35° 23.1′ N, 94° 25.299′ W. Marker is in Fort Smith, Arkansas, in Sebastian County. Marker is at the intersection of Garrison Avenue and 10th Street, on the right when traveling west on Garrison Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2 North 10th Street, Fort Smith AR 72901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fort Towson Trail (within shouting distance of this marker); The New Theatre in 1911

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(within shouting distance of this marker); Texas Corner in 1958 (within shouting distance of this marker); Immaculate Conception Church in 1906 (approx. 0.2 miles away); United Spanish War Veterans Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); 50 Year Concrete Street Service Award • 1963 (approx. ¼ mile away); Sebastian County California Gold Seekers (approx. ¼ mile away); Purple Heart Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Smith.

More about this marker. The markers in this series are placed so that viewers can only read them from the sidewalk while facing the historical subject of the marker.

Also see . . .
1. 1898 Cyclone at Fort Smith AR. (Submitted on January 24, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Historical plaques placed in downtown Fort Smith. (Submitted on January 24, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

Photo on Great Cyclone at Fort Smith Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Unknown, January 1898

2. Photo on Great Cyclone at Fort Smith Marker

QR Code on Great Cyclone at Fort Smith Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., January 17, 2016

3. QR Code on Great Cyclone at Fort Smith Marker

Great Cyclone at Fort Smith Marker (back) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., January 17, 2016

4. Great Cyclone at Fort Smith Marker (back)

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., January 17, 2016

5. Great Cyclone at Fort Smith Marker

Looking west along Garrison Avenue

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on January 24, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 426 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 24, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.