Tornado and Fire Devastate Arkansas Town

Residents of Brinkley Dazed by the Destruction (courtesy of gendisasters.com)

March 8th, 1909 – The town of Brinkley AR was struck by a tornado which killed 49 persons and caused 600,000 dollars damage. The tornado, which was two-thirds of a mile in width, destroyed 860 buildings. Entire families were killed as houses were completely swept away by the tornado. A fire broke out amidst the rubble demolishing what was left of the town and killed an additional eight people. Tornadoes killed 64 persons and injured 671 others in Dallas and Monroe counties during the Arkansas tornado outbreak. (David Ludlum)