Recalling the deadly 1949 Cape tornado amid reminders to take precautions

Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr., the distinguished jurist who spent a quarter-century on the federal bench, said Monday he has a clear memory of the aftermath of a tornado that badly damaged the Cape Girardeau home of his parents nearly 73 years ago.

"The whole second story (of the home) was gone," said Limbaugh, referring to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rush H. Limbaugh Sr., in the 814 N. Henderson Ave.

A total of 202 residences and 19 businesses in the city were destroyed by the twister -- which struck at 6:56 p.m. May 21, 1949.

"When it hit, I was in my brother Rush Jr.'s wedding in Kennett," said Limbaugh, just 21 years old at the time.

"When my parents got back to Cape Girardeau later that night, they found a high level of police protection and could hardly get through to get to their house. They stayed with my aunt who lived two blocks away for the better part of a month afterward. It took several months before the (Henderson) house was livable again," he recalled.

A total of 22 people died, ranging in age from 15 months to 81 years.

According to previous Southeast Missourian reporting, the whirlwind gained momentum as it traveled downhill in the U.S. 61 area, "picking up huge oil tanks and hurling them around like jackstraws," according to the late John L. Blue, managing editor of the newspaper at the time.

The path the May 21, 1949, tornado took through Cape Girardeau.Southeast Missourian file

The cyclone moved down Broadway to New Madrid Street, Dunklin Street and Henderson, crossing onto the campus of Southeast Missouri State University — where little damage was done.

The path of the tornado moved to North Sprigg Street and across a four-block area between Ruby and Emerald streets, claiming 10 lives before traveling to the Red Star area, where nine people lost their lives.

The lethal storm traveled to Cape Rock before moving into the Mississippi River.

In addition to the dead, 72 people were hospitalized with hundreds more injured.

Property damage was estimated at up to $4 million, or $47.3 million today.

Vigilance

Cape Girardeau County will have a tornado drill at 10 a.m. today, according to Mark Winkler, the county's emergency management agency director.

Employees of the county Administration Building at 1 Barton Square in Jackson will be directed to the basement at that hour.

"We need to keep practicing and follow our safety plan in order to raise awareness of natural disasters," Winkler said.

Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Missouri, co-sponsored by the National Weather Service and the state's Emergency Management Agency, began Monday and will last through Friday.

Eric Aldrich, who teaches meteorology at University of Missouri-Columbia, said the week is important because Missouri experiences "all facets of severe weather."

"It's important for the public to know what to look for during severe weather -- but more importantly know how to prepare for it and then know what to do when it actually comes," he said.