It was 90 years ago that massive struck Gainesville, devastating the downtown area and killing more than 200 people
FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE:
“In 1936, the deadliest tornado in Georgia state history and possibly one of the worst in U.S. history hit Hall County.
The F-4 tornado packed winds up to 260 mph, killed 203 people and injured 934 others. Almost a fourth of the deaths came from fires that burned after the storm struck the city.
Although it significantly impacted the business district of Gainesville, the residential area also sustained major damage. Over 500 homes were destroyed and nearly 750 were damaged.
Debris piles in the city streets reached 8 to 10 feet in some areas.”
Many of those who were killed were workers in a pants factory at the corner of what is now S. Main St. and Jesse Jewell Parkway, then known as Church Street.
A book titled “A City Laid Waste” was written about the storm and its aftereffects.
You can read much more about the storm and its aftermath here: 1936-Tornado-Walking-Tour-PDF-PDF.pdf