NEW RICHMOND, Wis. — Wednesday marks the 125th anniversary of the 1899 New Richmond Cyclone, which to this day remains the deadliest tornado in Wisconsin history.
“It looked like an atomic bomb had gone off right here in downtown,” said Todd Kittel. He works at the Friday Memorial Library in New Richmond and calls himself the man of local history.
“One of the big myths is that the circus was destroyed and there were wild animals everywhere, but none of that is true,” Kittel said. “It was on the ground from one side of Richmond to the other and tore right through the middle of, like I said, where we are now, an absolute mess.”
One of the most incredible stories comes from the Methodist Church, right across from the library. The church’s original bell is still at the front. Even a Bible that is at least 130 years old survived after a wild ride.
“The Methodist Church altar Bible was discovered a few weeks later in a field near Deer Park, a little over 10 miles as the crow flies. It looks great,” Kittel said.
It was a tragic twister that left 117 people dead, but Kittel said if there’s anything to take away, it’s this memory:
“Bad things happen to good people all the time. They pulled together, leaned on each other and got through it. And that’s the lesson of life,” he said.
If you’d like to learn more about the storm and the incredible stories surrounding it, the library is hosting a free lecture next Wednesday, featuring Mike Augustyniak of WCCO.
Here is the link for more information.
