The Cyclone of 1892
On May 27, 1892, a cyclone ripped through the heart of Wellington, leaving 17 dead, numerous injured, and hundred's homeless. The tornado caused 1/2 million dollars in damage.
The Chisholm Trail Museum has an exhibit on the cyclone, complete with photographs of the storm damage.
The Chisholm Trail Museum needs your support! Volunteer to help today!
At around 6:30p.m., the skies over Wellington became hazy. An intermittent light rain fell over the next two hours across the city. Little did residents know, but their lives were about to be changed forever.
At 8:30p.m., the skies darkened, and the storm approached. Finally, at 8:57p.m., the tornado struck. It entered Wellington at the southwest corner of town approaching Harvey Street west of the, now Union Pacific, railroad tracks. It traveled east on Harvey Street, it's width approaching one quarter mile. It destroyed houses on it's path toward downtown Wellington.
As if touring downtown, it turned directions and went north on Washington Street. It continued this path of travel until it reached 9th Street, where the funnel dissipated, and disappeared into the clouds. It was only on the ground a short while, but the damage it caused in that time period was immense. Not only was the Wellington Township Hall destroyed at Washington and 7th, once the building that county business was held in, it caused damage to other businesses listed below.
C.A. Gambrill, loan and insurance office, entirely destroyed
Monitor-Press Weekly Newspaper, entirely destroyed
People's Voice Weekly Newspaper, entirely destroyed
T.B. Hubbard, seeds and feed, entirely destroyed
H. Conrad restaurant, entirely destroyed
S.K. Mortgage Co.,loan office, entirely destroyed
Peniwell Marble co., tombstones, entirely destroyed
Douglass and Brown Real Estate, entirely destroyed
Ned Hale, coal, entirely destroyed
W.B. Seymour, feed stable, entirely destroyed
W.B. Seymour, feed store, entirely destroyed
Ed L. Brown, carpenter shop, entirely destroyed
Fisher and Adams, blacksmith shop, entirely destroyed
George R. Fultz, loan and abstract office, badly damaged
R. Lynch, Shoe shop, entirely destroyed
Col. Jesse Brower, barber shop, entirely destroyed
W.A. Romig, tinware store and shop, entirely destroyed
John Roth, lunch counter, entirely destroyed
M.J. Kain, merchant tailor, entirely destroyed
Sasher and Kirk, carriage factory, entirely destroyed
Alliance Grocery, entirely destroyed
R.J. Smith, agricultural implements, entirely destroyed
Rock Island Lumber and Mfg. Co., badly scattered
Worden and Austin groceries, partially destroyed
S. Crane, books and stationery, east end of store room and roof gone
Daily Mail printing office, almost ruined
Sumner County Standard, weekly newspaper, partially destroyed
T. Buttrey and Son, boots and shoes, entirely destroyed. Most of the badly damaged stock recovered and removed to the Roser Building.
Schafer Brothers, meat market, almost a total destruction
Episcopal Church, entirely destroyed
Lutheran Church, entirely destroyed
Presbyterian Church, entirely destroyed
The same night as the Wellington tornado, Harper suffered a tornado that killed 5 people.
Source: Sumner County Standard, June 2, 1892 edition, Wellington Public Library microfilm collection