It added that there were hopes for their recovery. (Oregon Newspapers) So the schoolhouse was definitely hit while children were inside, and at least two children were critically injured. The newspaper then summed up the community's experience rather memorably: Lexington had been “burned out, washed out and blown out”, but was still planning to celebrate the Fourth of July. (Oregon Newspapers) The storm was more than just a tornado The contemporary accounts consistently describe a combination of violent wind and a cloudburst. A report transmitted from Portland on June 16 and subsequently published by newspapers around the country said that the storm struck a grove below Lexington, destroyed H. J. Brooks' house, and fatally injured Mrs. Brooks. It then destroyed the house and barn of H. A. Harkins, seriously injured Harkins, killed his young child, and injured his wife and two other children. The schoolhouse was partially destroyed, with several children injured and two reportedly feared fatally hurt. (US Deadly Events) That report is especially valuable because it appears to have been based on information reaching Portland within two days of the June 14 storm, rather than a much later historical recollection. And the flooding was serious The same contemporary report says Willow Creek became a furious torrent during the storm. That's why some historical accounts refer to the event as a “wind storm and cloud burst” rather than simply a tornado. (US Deadly Events) So the disaster appears to have consisted of: tornado/violent rotating wind → structural destruction → torrential rain/cloudburst → flash flooding That helps explain why Lexington was described as being simultaneously “burned out, washed out and blown out.” (Oregon Newspapers) There is also a fascinating later local reference The Morrow County historical record explicitly says that in 1888 a tornado hit the Jordan Buttes area and demolished homes, schools and businesses in Lexington. (Morrow County Oregon) That is consistent with the more detailed reconstruction by George Taylor and Raymond Hatton, who concluded that the tornado formed near Jordan Butte, northwest of Lexington, and swept through Lexington, Sand Hollow and Pine City, destroying roughly 30 buildings, including two schools. (US Deadly Events) The death toll is the really interesting part Here I need to correct my previous answer. I previously said there might have been 1–6 deaths, which was too loose. The historical sources genuinely disagree, but the contemporary reporting gives us a better way to understand why. The surviving historical estimates include: Thomas Grazulis: 3 deaths and 5 injuries. Taylor & Hatton: 6 deaths and 4 injuries, including two schoolchildren. Contemporary newspaper reports initially identified several people who were fatally injured or feared likely to die. (US Deadly Events) The June 28 Heppner Gazette still described two injured schoolchildren as unconscious, suggesting that the casualty situation was still evolving when the local paper went to press. (Oregon Newspapers) So the discrepancy isn't necessarily because somebody simply made up a different number. Early reports were being written while some victims were still alive but critically injured, and later historians apparently worked from different newspaper and historical sources. The local newspaper gives us another important clue The June 28 article says $600 had already been raised for the storm sufferers, with Heppner contributing about half. For a small eastern Oregon community in 1888, that was a significant relief effort. The fact that the paper devoted local coverage to the injured children and fundraising two weeks afterward demonstrates that this wasn't a minor windstorm. (Oregon Newspapers) What I think happened Putting the contemporary evidence together, I'd reconstruct it this way: June 14, 1888 — afternoon A severe convective storm developed around the Jordan Buttes northwest of Lexington. A tornado/violent rotating wind moved southeastward toward the Lexington area. It struck the countryside first, destroying homes and agricultural buildings. H. J. Brooks' house was destroyed and Mrs. Brooks fatally injured. It then struck the Harkins property, destroying both house and barn; Harkins was badly injured and a child was killed. (US Deadly Events) The circulation then passed through or very near Lexington, where it damaged numerous structures, including two schoolhouses. At least one school was occupied when the storm struck. Children were thrown into the wreckage, with at least two left critically injured. (Oregon Newspapers) At the same time, extremely heavy rain produced a flash flood on Willow Creek, adding water damage to the wind destruction. (US Deadly Events) The overall path apparently continued through Sand Hollow and toward Pine City, which is why modern historical sources estimate a path around 10 miles or more. (US Deadly Events) One correction about the date There is actually a strange discrepancy in later sources. A 1957 Heppner Gazette-Times article referred to the last Morrow County tornado as occurring on June 14, 1887, but modern historical research and the contemporary 1888 material clearly place this disaster on June 14, 1888. The 1957 article appears to contain a one-year error. (Oregon Newspapers) And the Morrow County history independently identifies 1888 as the year the Jordan Buttes tornado demolished homes, schools and businesses in Lexington. (Morrow County Oregon) So I'm now quite confident that June 14, 1888 is the correct date. And this makes the event much more significant than I initially portrayed it The strongest contemporary/local evidence suggests: At least 7 buildings destroyed in Lexington alone in the initial report. (US Deadly Events) Later historical reconstruction: ~30 buildings destroyed across the broader path, including two schools. (US Deadly Events) Multiple homes and barns completely destroyed. At least one child killed immediately and other victims fatally injured or feared to be dying. (US Deadly Events) Two schoolchildren critically injured and still unconscious two weeks later. (Oregon Newspapers) Major flash flooding accompanying the tornado. (US Deadly Events) A substantial regional relief effort organized in Heppner and Lexington. (Oregon Newspapers) So yes—this was a genuinely major Oregon tornado disaster, and not simply a strong windstorm that later got labeled a tornado. The really interesting next step would be to look at the June 28 Heppner Gazette pages beyond the Lexington notes and the June 1888 Grant County News to see whether we can identify the victims by name and determine whether the two schoolchildren eventually died. That could potentially resolve the long-standing 3-versus-6 death toll discrepancy. Interestingly it was exactly 15 years later when the same Willow Creek mentioned as having a flash flood in 1888 experienced a catastrophic flash flooding event which killed at least 247 people.

The June 14, 1888 tornado near Lexington, Oregon also produced fatalities. I did, and I found something important: the contemporary Oregon evidence is better than I expected, and it also corrects some of the uncertainty in my previous answer. The June 14, 1888 storm was indeed a major tornado disaster centered on Lexington, and the best surviving local account I found is in the Heppner Weekly Gazette, published June 28, 1888—just two weeks after the event. What the local Oregon newspaper says The Heppner Weekly Gazette had a regular “Lexington Notes” column. In the June 28 issue, the paper reported that $600 had been raised for the storm victims, with half coming from Heppner, and named a five-person committee to distribute the money. That is strong evidence that the damage was substantial and that the event had become a major local relief effort. (Oregon Newspapers) Even more revealing, the paper reported: “The little girl of Andrew Reaney and the Ivens boy, who were in the wrecked school house at the time of the storm, are still unconscious…” It added that there were hopes for their recovery. (Oregon Newspapers) So the schoolhouse was definitely hit while children were inside, and at least two children were critically injured. The newspaper then summed up the community's experience rather memorably: Lexington had been “burned out, washed out and blown out”, but was still planning to celebrate the Fourth of July. (Oregon Newspapers) The storm was more than just a tornado The contemporary accounts consistently describe a combination of violent wind and a cloudburst. A report transmitted from Portland on June 16 and subsequently published by newspapers around the country said that the storm struck a grove below Lexington, destroyed H. J. Brooks' house, and fatally injured Mrs. Brooks. It then destroyed the house and barn of H. A. Harkins, seriously injured Harkins, killed his young child, and injured his wife and two other children. The schoolhouse was partially destroyed, with several children injured and two reportedly feared fatally hurt. (US Deadly Events) That report is especially valuable because it appears to have been based on information reaching Portland within two days of the June 14 storm, rather than a much later historical recollection. And the flooding was serious The same contemporary report says Willow Creek became a furious torrent during the storm. That's why some historical accounts refer to the event as a “wind storm and cloud burst” rather than simply a tornado. (US Deadly Events) So the disaster appears to have consisted of: tornado/violent rotating wind → structural destruction → torrential rain/cloudburst → flash flooding That helps explain why Lexington was described as being simultaneously “burned out, washed out and blown out.” (Oregon Newspapers) There is also a fascinating later local reference The Morrow County historical record explicitly says that in 1888 a tornado hit the Jordan Buttes area and demolished homes, schools and businesses in Lexington. (Morrow County Oregon) That is consistent with the more detailed reconstruction by George Taylor and Raymond Hatton, who concluded that the tornado formed near Jordan Butte, northwest of Lexington, and swept through Lexington, Sand Hollow and Pine City, destroying roughly 30 buildings, including two schools. (US Deadly Events) The death toll is the really interesting part Here I need to correct my previous answer. I previously said there might have been 1–6 deaths, which was too loose. The historical sources genuinely disagree, but the contemporary reporting gives us a better way to understand why. The surviving historical estimates include: Thomas Grazulis: 3 deaths and 5 injuries. Taylor & Hatton: 6 deaths and 4 injuries, including two schoolchildren. Contemporary newspaper reports initially identified several people who were fatally injured or feared likely to die. (US Deadly Events) The June 28 Heppner Gazette still described two injured schoolchildren as unconscious, suggesting that the casualty situation was still evolving when the local paper went to press. (Oregon Newspapers) So the discrepancy isn't necessarily because somebody simply made up a different number. Early reports were being written while some victims were still alive but critically injured, and later historians apparently worked from different newspaper and historical sources. The local newspaper gives us another important clue The June 28 article says $600 had already been raised for the storm sufferers, with Heppner contributing about half. For a small eastern Oregon community in 1888, that was a significant relief effort. The fact that the paper devoted local coverage to the injured children and fundraising two weeks afterward demonstrates that this wasn't a minor windstorm. (Oregon Newspapers) What I think happened Putting the contemporary evidence together, I'd reconstruct it this way: June 14, 1888 — afternoon A severe convective storm developed around the Jordan Buttes northwest of Lexington. A tornado/violent rotating wind moved southeastward toward the Lexington area. It struck the countryside first, destroying homes and agricultural buildings. H. J. Brooks' house was destroyed and Mrs. Brooks fatally injured. It then struck the Harkins property, destroying both house and barn; Harkins was badly injured and a child was killed. (US Deadly Events) The circulation then passed through or very near Lexington, where it damaged numerous structures, including two schoolhouses. At least one school was occupied when the storm struck. Children were thrown into the wreckage, with at least two left critically injured. (Oregon Newspapers) At the same time, extremely heavy rain produced a flash flood on Willow Creek, adding water damage to the wind destruction. (US Deadly Events) The overall path apparently continued through Sand Hollow and toward Pine City, which is why modern historical sources estimate a path around 10 miles or more. (US Deadly Events) One correction about the date There is actually a strange discrepancy in later sources. A 1957 Heppner Gazette-Times article referred to the last Morrow County tornado as occurring on June 14, 1887, but modern historical research and the contemporary 1888 material clearly place this disaster on June 14, 1888. The 1957 article appears to contain a one-year error. (Oregon Newspapers) And the Morrow County history independently identifies 1888 as the year the Jordan Buttes tornado demolished homes, schools and businesses in Lexington. (Morrow County Oregon) So I'm now quite confident that June 14, 1888 is the correct date. And this makes the event much more significant than I initially portrayed it The strongest contemporary/local evidence suggests: At least 7 buildings destroyed in Lexington alone in the initial report. (US Deadly Events) Later historical reconstruction: ~30 buildings destroyed across the broader path, including two schools. (US Deadly Events) Multiple homes and barns completely destroyed. At least one child killed immediately and other victims fatally injured or feared to be dying. (US Deadly Events) Two schoolchildren critically injured and still unconscious two weeks later. (Oregon Newspapers) Major flash flooding accompanying the tornado. (US Deadly Events) A substantial regional relief effort organized in Heppner and Lexington. (Oregon Newspapers) So yes—this was a genuinely major Oregon tornado disaster, and not simply a strong windstorm that later got labeled a tornado. The really interesting next step would be to look at the June 28 Heppner Gazette pages beyond the Lexington notes and the June 1888 Grant County News to see whether we can identify the victims by name and determine whether the two schoolchildren eventually died. That could potentially resolve the long-standing 3-versus-6 death toll discrepancy.

It's kind of funny the AI summary mentions the 1894 Willamette River floods, obviously Long Creek has nothing to do with the Willamette River...

This tornado has been known to have caused a fatality. One of my older Oregon climate books had a paragraph about it. I think historically it has been estimated as an F2, which is what the ChatGPT summary classifies it as. Absolutely. The June 3, 1894 Long Creek tornado is one of the most remarkable—and strangely little-known—weather disasters in Oregon history. In fact, historical research suggests it was probably the strongest tornado ever documented in Oregon. What happened The tornado struck Long Creek in Grant County on June 3, 1894. Long Creek was a relatively prosperous frontier community at the time, having been incorporated just three years earlier. The storm apparently formed on a mountain roughly three miles south of town. The editor of the Long Creek Eagle, Orin Patterson, witnessed its development and described two ominous clouds coming together over the mountain. A funnel then descended and moved almost due north toward town. (Offbeat Oregon) What makes the account particularly interesting is that the storm appears to have had an extremely concentrated, violent core. It tore through a swath of virgin timber roughly half a mile wide, leaving a scar on the mountainside that reportedly remained visible for decades. Once it reached Long Creek, buildings were literally torn apart and pieces were carried considerable distances. (Offbeat Oregon) Three people were killed The fatalities were: David Parrish Sarah Parrish, his wife Blanche Nichols, an infant daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Nichols The Parrishes' story is especially tragic. They had just moved to Oregon from Kansas specifically to get away from tornadoes. Less than four months later, the tornado destroyed their new home and killed both of them. (Offbeat Oregon) Six other people were injured, several seriously. (Oregon Encyclopedia) The damage was extraordinary The historical accounts describe more than two dozen structures being destroyed, including: homes barns commercial buildings the Long Creek schoolhouse portions of the town's roller mill An older Grant County history gives the property loss as approximately $25,000, while later historical research puts the total around $30,000. That's an enormous loss for a small frontier town in 1894. (Genealogy Trails) The schoolhouse alone had reportedly cost $5,000. One of the more extraordinary stories involves I.W. Splawn, who was picked up by the wind and carried over the top of a store. He survived because he landed in a haystack. The tornado also reportedly picked up a piano and threw it several hundred yards. (Genealogy Trails) And then there was the hail This may actually be the strangest part. The storm produced enormous pieces of ice. A U.S. Weather Bureau correspondent described them not as ordinary hailstones but as sheets of ice, averaging about 3–4 inches across and ¾–1½ inches thick. They reportedly broke apart as they fell into pieces roughly the size of a person's palm. (Offbeat Oregon) Another historical compilation reports hail with a circumference of about 7½ inches. (SlideServe) So this wasn't simply a tornado embedded in an ordinary thunderstorm. It appears to have been an exceptionally violent convective storm producing tornado-force winds, enormous hail/ice, and extreme straight-line/cyclonic winds. How strong was it? This is where things get interesting. There obviously wasn't an anemometer sitting in Long Creek in 1894, so we can't give it a scientifically measured wind speed. Modern historical tornado researchers have estimated it at approximately F2, with: ~10-mile path ~½-mile maximum width 3 deaths 6 injuries Those estimates appear in Oregon tornado-history material. (SlideServe) But F2 should not necessarily be interpreted as a precise measurement of its actual maximum winds. The original Fujita scale was created decades later, and retrospective ratings of 19th-century tornadoes are based primarily on damage descriptions. The National Weather Service's historical tornado research specifically identifies June 3, 1894, Long Creek as one of the very rare documented tornado death events in the Pacific Coast states and notes that it killed "several" people. (National Weather Service) Why it's sometimes called a "bomb cyclone" There's a modern wrinkle to this story. A 2024 analysis by Oregon historian Finn J.D. John argues that the eyewitness description may represent an extraordinarily early description of what we'd now call bombogenesis—rapid strengthening of a low-pressure system. The article describes the storm as a small but exceptionally intense "bomb cyclone" that may have developed when contrasting air masses interacted over the Blue Mountains. (Offbeat Oregon) I'd put a little asterisk on that interpretation: the historical evidence definitely establishes the violent storm and tornado, but reconstructing the exact meteorological structure of a storm from 1894 eyewitness accounts is necessarily speculative. We don't have radar, upper-air observations, satellite data, or modern surface networks. The storm's path The reconstruction from historical accounts is roughly: Blue Mountains south of Long Creek → Long Creek → northward toward the John Day River It first devastated forested mountain terrain, then struck the edge of town with tremendous force. After leaving Long Creek, it continued northward, damaging additional houses before apparently dissipating near the Middle Fork of the John Day River. Damage was also reported farther east around Long Creek, Flood Meadows, Beach Creek and Fox Valley. (Genealogy Trails) What's particularly impressive is that the forest damage was so extensive that the tornado apparently left a large, visible scar across the mountainside for at least half a century. (Offbeat Oregon) The timing made everything worse Long Creek was already dealing with the aftermath of the great Willamette River flood of 1894. Portland had been badly flooded only days earlier. And the country was in the Panic of 1893, a severe economic depression. Consequently, there wasn't much money available for disaster relief. Long Creek had to essentially rebuild itself, although surrounding communities did establish a relief fund. (Offbeat Oregon) The disaster also effectively ended Long Creek's hopes of becoming the Grant County seat. The town had been growing rapidly and had been challenging Canyon City for that role. After the tornado devastated it, that ambition apparently disappeared. (Offbeat Oregon) One thing I find especially fascinating The Long Creek Eagle's eyewitness account is probably the best part of the whole story. It was written by the town's newspaper editor and mayor, Orin Patterson, only about a month after the event. That means we're not relying entirely on some 20th-century recollection. We have an almost contemporary description of the storm's formation, movement, destruction and aftermath. The Oregon Encyclopedia likewise identifies the event as one of the most severe cyclones ever to hit Oregon, with three deaths and six injuries. (Oregon Encyclopedia) And there's a wonderfully Oregonian irony to the whole thing: a couple who fled Kansas specifically to escape tornadoes moved to eastern Oregon and were killed by one of the most violent tornadoes in the state's history. (Offbeat Oregon) If you'd like, I can also dig into the actual 1894 newspaper reports and Weather Bureau report and reconstruct the storm hour-by-hour—including what the weather was doing before it formed, its approximate path, and what meteorologists today think the storm actually was.

We’ll hit 103* today. Plenty of sunshine for all. Not a cloud to be seen.