1958 — June 10, Tornado, El Dorado, Butler County, KS –13-15

— 15 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1015.
— 14 UPI. “14 Die In Kansas Twister.” Evening Journal-Tribune, Marysville, OH. 6-11-1958, 1.
— 13 Fitzgerald. Sound and Fury: A History of Kansas Tornadoes, 1854-2008. 2008-2009, p221.

Narrative Information

Fitzgerald: “El Dorado, June 10, 1958

“About 5:45 p.m. on June 10, 1958 a tornado developed on the backside of a huge black cloud that threatened El Dorado for over an hour before striking the town….The twister dipped to the ground near Oil Hill, damaging several houses and a school building, then hit the American Legion golf course on the west side of El Dorado. From there it moved into the new Towanda addition, raising briefly into the air and dropping again in another housing area southwest of town. The funnel damaged some homes, and others just simply disappeared. Debris littered a forty-block area, and fallen trees and wires were everywhere. The hailstones accompanying this storm were as large as small oranges, and when they hit they struck with a numbing force.

“The tornado moved past the south city limits and lifted after crossing Highway 77. The swiftness of this storm astonished everyone. It tore its way through southwest El Dorado in almost two minutes, trapping residents in their homes. Rescuers found bodies in the debris, but they also found others outside where the tornado had picked them up and dropped them to the ground. This was the second worst tornado of the 1950s, Udall being the first. This twister killed thirteen people and injured sixty. It damaged or destroyed over 200 homes….”

Grazulis: “KS JUN 10, 1958 1745 15k 50inj 300y 8m F4. BUTLER — Moved ESE from 7m WNW of El Dorado, passing through and devastating a section of newer homes in the SW
part of town. About 200 homes were destroyed as a 45-block area was torn apart. There may have been F5 damage, but that can’t be determined from available photographs and descriptions. A car was thrown 100 yards in the air, crashing through the roof of a house.” (Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 1015.)

Newspaper

June 11, UPI: “The Midwest reeled today under a juggernaut of deadly tornadoes and torrential rains that killed at least 14 persons and forced another 5,000 to flee their flood-threatened homes.

“A twister smashed a path three blocks wide and a mile long through El Dorado, Kan., late on Tuesday. Authorities said 14 were killed, at least 50 injured, and 150 homes were destroyed….” (UPI (United Press International). “14 Die In Kansas Twister.” Evening Journal-Tribune, Marysville OH. 6-11-1958, p. 1.)

Sources

Fitzgerald, Daniel C. Sound and Fury: A History of Kansas Tornadoes, 1854-2008. Dan Fitzgerald Company, 2008-2009.

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

UPI (United Press International). “14 Die In Kansas Twister.” Evening Journal-Tribune, Marysville OH. 6-11-1958, p. 1. Accessed 1-31-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/marysville-evening-journal-tribune-jun-11-1958-p-1/