In 1896, the cities of St. Louis and East St. Louis were enjoying an economic boom that led to skyscrapers, mansions, and a 'tornado-proof' bridge connecting the two cities. That progress was unfortunately paused at the end of May, when an F4 tornado went straight through the downtowns of both cities.

On this episode, Ella and our special guest host discuss architecture, bridges, tornado damage, and a building made of popsicle sticks.

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Sources for this episode include:

“The Great Cyclone of 1896” Digital exhibit at St. Louis Public Library

“Tornadoes in the Past”, The Tornado Project, 1999

 “The Great Cyclone at St. Louis and East St. Louis, May 27, 1896, Being A Full History of the Most Terrifying and Destructive Tornado In The History Of The World”, by J Curzon, 1897

“On This Day: The Great St. Louis Tornado of 1896”, staff writer for NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information website, 2017

“It all Happened in 20 Minutes: In 1896, The Great Cyclone Ripped Through St. Louis”,  T. O’Neill, St Louis Post Dispatch, 2022