Ceremony marks 100 years since deadly tornado

Members of the public came together Tuesday in Murphysboro to mark the 100th anniversary of the Tri-State Tornado, which still stands as the deadliest tornado in U.S. history.

Those on hand at the city’s Longfellow Park witness the unveiling of a historical marker commemorating the March 18, 1925 storm, which carved a 219-mile path of destruction through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana that killed nearly 700 people. In southern Illinois, particularly hard hit were the towns of Gorham, Murphysboro and West Frankfort.

The ceremony included an invocation from Father Joel Seipp of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, as well as comments from Scott Johnson, president of the Jackson County Historical Society. There also were federal, state and county proclamations read.

Johnson and Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens unveiled the marker. JCHS member Russell Miner delivered a remembrance of those who perished, and Pastor Bryce Pitlick delivered the benediction following closing remarks from Johnson.

At 2:34 p.m., the same minute when the tornado entered Murphysboro city limits a century earlier, churches across the city rang their bells.