The Murfreesboro Post, May 25, 2013
The pile of debris on the right is the site of present day ‘The Humidor’.
1. April 18, 1887 – A powerful F-4 storm moved through Lewis, Maury, Williamson, Davidson and Rutherford counties. The 40-mile path left 10 dead and 50 injured.
2. April 10, 2009 – An EF-4 tornado tore a 23-mile path from Eagleville to Lascassas and caused more than $42 million in damage and two deaths on Good Friday. The National Weather Service determined it was a multi-vortex tornado, which is a large twister with smaller tornados spawning off of it. The tornado damaged 845 homes, of which about 117 were demolished, 298 sustained major damage and 175 sustained minor damage. An additional 255 homes were affected. More than 8,000 tons of debris, tree and brush were collected.
3. March 20, 1913 – An F-3 tornado ripped a path through Giles, Marshall and Rutherford County, leaving seven dead and 15 injured. The storm’s path carried it through Downtown Murfreesboro, damaging a number of buildings on the Square and the Courthouse.
4. April 2, 1974 – An F-3 tornado touched down two miles southwest of Murfreesboro and traveled 16 miles southwest of Watertown. The same set of storms caused one fatality and three injuries near Sycamore in Cannon County and devastated Dowelltown in DeKalb County. During this same 24-hour period, 148 different twisters developed in what was called the “Super Outbreak.” Nationally, 315 people lost their lives in these storms and more than 5,000 people were injured. In Xenia, Ohio, 34 were killed in the tornado (including two Ohio National Guard servicemen in a fire several days after) and about 1,000 were injured in Xenia alone. About half of the town or about 1,400 buildings were heavily damaged or destroyed.
5. Feb. 17, 1976 – Three separate tornado touchdowns were reported in the Smyrna area. Two people were injured by a storm that was generated four miles southwest of La Vergne and ended one mile east of Smyrna.
6. Nov. 20, 1900 – A storm rated as an F-3 first touched down five miles south of Franklin and cut into Rutherford and Davidson County, hitting communities including Thompson Station and La Vergne. Nine people died and 40 others were injured.
7. Jan. 24, 1997 – An F-4 storm struck the Southridge Subdivision, near Barfield, at 5.03 p.m. The tornado caused 18 injuries and 4.7 million dollars in property damages. One person had to be hospitalized overnight. The path length of the tornado was 6.5 miles with its intensity reaching F4 and its maximum width of 300 yards. Forty-four homes were destroyed and 47 other homes were damaged in the Barfield area.
8. May 31, 2001 – An F-2 storm killed one person and injured two others in the Milton/Auburntown area. The heaviest damage was at Marshall Creek Road. A 64-year-old man died when tornado winds pulled him from his home. His daughter, who lived across the street, was seriously injured as well.
9. April 28, 2002 – The Gum community was hit by an F-3 tornado. Six people were hospitalized and a total of 31 were injured. Seven mobile homes and five residences were destroyed. Ten other homes had major damage and 36 residences had minor damage. Two horse barns were destroyed and six horses/and or cattle were killed.
10. May 11, 2003 – An F-3 storm tore through Walter Hill. At least 18 homes were destroyed and dozens more were damaged from the tornado. There was considerable damage at the Roanoke Subdivision. The old Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, located on Holly Grove Road which is just northeast of Walter Hill, was heavily damaged.