The Fallowfield Historical Society is holding a craft festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 28, to commemorate the 135th anniversary of the deadly Great Tornado that hit the village of Ercildoun on July 1, 1877.
"In keeping with the tornado theme, there will be a twist contest held at 2 p.m., with a cash prize to the winning couple," says the press release for the event. Other entertainment with include a DJ and a performance by the Coatesville Cultural Society, and Triple Fresh will be selling BBQ chicken.
The village of Ercildoun is on Route 82 at Buck Run Road in East Fallowfield Township. Rain date is Sunday, July 29.
You can find a fascinating and extraordinarily detailed account of the storm's path online.
The tornado, which started in Lancaster County on that hot Sunday afternoon back in 1877, traveled 22 miles through Sadsbury, Highland, East Fallowfield and West Bradford, wreaking a path of destruction 150 to 300 yards wide. Mary Hopkins of East Fallowfield was crushed to death when her house was overturned. Jacob Eisenberger was picked up by the tornado as he was walking along Strasburg Road. It carried him 200 yards and dropped him in a field; he suffered a broken jaw, a fractured shoulder blade and other injuries. Another man, Samuel Jackson of Parkesburg, was also badly hurt when he was hit by a door, breaking several ribs. Horses, cows and chickens were killed.
The tornado destroyed the Ercildoun Academy, razed or damaged several houses and barns, uprooted trees, ruined crops, tore apart railroad rails and dislodged a railroad bridge; property damage was estimated at $36,000. The storm was so violent that it was the subject of a lecture at the French Academy of Sciences the following year.
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