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1929 Rye Cove, Virginia tornado disaster...
1929 Rye Cove, Virginia tornado disaster...
Item # 723603
May 03, 1929
THE DAY, New London, Connecticut, May 3, 1929
* Rye Cove, Virginia tornado
* Scott County schoolhouse disaster
The top of the front page has a three column headline: "44 Killed in Freak Storm; 23 in Virginia; 7 States Hit" with subhead. (see images)
Complete with 24 pages, light toning at the margins, some small binding holes along the spine, generally in very nice condition.
AI notes: The Rye Cove tornado disaster occurred on May 2, 1929, in the rural community of Rye Cove in Scott County, Virginia, when a powerful tornado swept through the area during the early afternoon and struck the Rye Cove School just after students had returned from recess. The two-story wooden schoolhouse, which held more than 150 children and teachers, was completely destroyed within seconds, collapsing with such force that there was virtually no time to seek shelter. Twelve students and one teacher were killed, and dozens more were seriously injured, with some victims reportedly thrown significant distances by the storm. The tornado was part of a larger outbreak affecting several states, but the Rye Cove tragedy became especially significant because it remains the deadliest tornado in Virginia’s history. The disaster deeply scarred the close-knit mountain community, led to changes in school construction and storm awareness, and has been remembered through memorials, local history, and even a song written by A. P. Carter, preserving its legacy nearly a century later.
Category: The 20th Century
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