Lorain in Lorain County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Lorain Tornado, 1924
Photographed by Don Morfe, July 18, 2013
1. The Lorain Tornado, 1924 Marker
Just after 5:00 P.M on June 28, 1924, a tornado swept off Lake Erie directly into downtown Lorain. Within five minutes, seventy-eight people lost their lives. Fifteen died in the old State Theatre that stood upon this site, as an audience of two hundred watched a Saturday afternoon musical performance. More than one thousand suffered injuries. The tornado did extensive damage to the business district, destroyed 500 homes, and damaged a thousand more. The city's largest industry, the American Shipbuilding yards, was severely damaged. The tornado, which had hit Sandusky before striking Lorain, continued along the shoreline and struck Sheffield and Avon minutes later. Contemporary accounts listed eighty-two deaths resulting from the deadliest tornado in Ohio's history.
Erected 2001 by The Black River Historical Society-The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 8-47.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Disasters. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical date for this entry is June 28, 1924.
Location. 41° 28.067′ N, 82° 10.583′ W. Marker is in Lorain, Ohio, in Lorain County. It is on Black River Lane south of Erie Avenue (U.S. 6).
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Regionally, this marker is in Greater Cleveland, on the Lake Erie Shore, and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lorain Station 100 (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Our Fathers (approx. 0.2 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Veterans Memorial Park (approx. 0.2 miles away); Trading Post (approx. Ό mile away); Founding of Lorain, Ohio (approx. Ό mile away); Shipbuilding (approx. 0.3 miles away); Lorain West Breakwater Lighthouse / Saving the Lorain Lighthouse (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lorain.
Also see . . . Severe Weather in Ohio - History & Photos. Ohio History Connection website entry (Submitted on August 11, 2013, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.)
Photographed by Don Morfe, July 18, 2013
2. The Lorain Tornado, 1924 Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, February 28, 2026
3. The Lorain Tornado, 1924 Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, February 28, 2026
4. The Lorain Tornado, 1924 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,817 times since then and 61 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 10, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 3, 4. submitted on March 7, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Al Wolf was the editor who published this page.
