June 12, 1899

My Top 3

The circus was in town and the big top was packed when the show ended at 5:30 pm.. By 6:00 pm the crowd leaving the circus grounds had converged on the streets of , a small town of 1500 people. The sky was dark and some hail was falling.

The tornado began as a waterspout 15 miles away on . A few minutes after 6:00 pm, It slammed into the gathered crowd in the center of town. A constant, rolling lightning illuminated the tornado against pitch black clouds.
There was no safe haven.Many were speared by flying timbers. Nails exploded out like shrapnel from the sides of buildings. Bricks rained down in every direction. People were picked up and thrown into the sides of collapsing buildings. Strong winds that followed the tornado fueled fires that spread in every direction. Many who had survived the twister were burned alive.117 people were killed, another125 were injured. The town was almost completely leveled. - the worst tornado disaster in Wisconsin history.