August 28, 1884
On this day, F. N. Robinson took the photograph that was credited as the first picture of a tornado.
Robinson’s 1884 photograph
A single image survives of the four believed to have been taken by Robinson from the main street of Howard, South Dakota. It is preserved by the state’s historical society.
The storm was part of a large regional outbreak that spawned at least four strong tornadoes and at least two were photographed. Another twister near Huron, South Dakota was reportedly photographed but the images were apparently lost.
Modern meteorologists believe the Howard storm was an F3 or F4 tornado on today’s Fujita scale. It destroyed at least one farm, killed four and injured two more.
While Robinson got credit for being first with his photo, considered spectacular even by today’s storm chaser standards, he actually may not have been first.
A Kansas tornado in April of the same year was photographed by A.A. Adams, actually predating Robinson’s by four months (right). It didn’t create the stir that the Howard image did. And according to Robinson’s supporters, the Kansas storm was not as strong and luckily didn’t cause any fatalities. In addition, weather experts say the Adams photo shows a funnel cloud in its last throes. It had been heavily retouched and may not have come down to the ground, making it a funnel cloud. The upper portions of the Howard image show signs of retouching, as well, a common practice of the day, but it is clearly on the ground.
While tornadoes have occurred in every state of the union, they are largely a weather phenomenon associated with the Great Plains. Of the 25 deadliest twisters recorded before 1910, fully one-third occurred in what is known as Tornado Alley.
And yes, tornadoes do occur on every continent and in most countries around the world but the United States experiences fully 75 percent of those reported. Canada, not surprisingly takes second place.
Twister statistics haven’t changed much over time. Four of the top five tornado-producing states are in the Great Plains; Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Florida is the only one that lies east of the Mississippi River.
Damage from the 1947 Woodward, Texas tornado
Records of early tornadoes are basically anecdotal stories contained in pioneer histories. The U.S. Weather Service wasn’t founded until 1879 by order of President Ulysses Grant primarily for the purpose of providing weather observations for military stations. It was placed under the Secretary of War and didn’t become a civilian enterprise until 1890 when it was moved to the Department of Agriculture and moved again to the Department of Commerce in 1940.
Native American oral history offers little information on how America’s indigenous people dealt with twisters. One of the few exceptions is a myth that says the storms were created when a young man was disciplined by tribal elders for his uncontrolled anger.
Confined in a small space in hopes of correcting his bad behavior, he became so enraged that he walked in circles in his small cell, going faster and faster, until he spun out into the village wreaking havoc on everything he touched. The legend says that the angry young man’s continued visits reign destruction every year.
National Weather Museum and Science Center, 1200B West Rock Creek Road, Norman, Oklahoma, is a new museum designed to be a repository of weather data and forecasting technology. Said by visitors to be a “must see for ‘weather geeks;’ ” and “great for kids,” it offers tours on request.
Wreckage from a tornado in Moore, Oklahoma
It’s open 10 to 4, Thursday through Saturday. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, $4 for military, $3 for children 3 to 17, and under 3, free. For more information go to nationalweathermuseum.com, email Info@nationalweathermuseum.com or call (405) 651-8649.
© Text Only – 2018 – Headin’ West LLC – All photos – public domain or fair use.