1855 Des Plaines tornado

1855 tornado in Illinois May 2026 May 2026 Des Plaines regional map.png Location of Des Plaines relative to the Chicago metropolitan area May 22, 1855 FU atl 4 8 1855 Cook County, Illinois On May 22, 1855, a significantStorm Prediction Center 2022 and deadly tornado moved through the Chicago suburbs of Mount Prospect and Des Plaines, both located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The tornado was the first ever recorded in Illinois and killed at least four people, all on the same property. Tornado summary The tornado first touched down near present-day North Fairview Avenue, moving to the southeast.National Weather Service 2023 The tornado damaged the John Roney property (present-day U.S. Route 14) where it was sighted lifting a wagon and horses; at this location it made a slight turn east. After traveling parallel to U.S. Route 14 it began to pivot southward, where William Thacker saw the tornado approach his location. At around 4:00 pm the tornado struck the Page-Wheeler property, where four occupants were killed and eight others were injured. The house itself was shifted off its foundation and completely destroyed;Journal & Topics 2023 the tornado lifted a short distance to the south of the property. In addition, furniture on the property was carried upward by the tornado.May 24, 1855 Terrific Tornado https://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-terrific-tornado-chicag/172827698/?locale=en-US February 9, 2025 Chicago Tribune It was on the ground for an estimated 5.2 mi km. Studies and aftermath The Chicago Tribune wrote that "the scene of the tragedy is still before our mind's eyes". +List of fatalities attributed to the tornadoNational Weather Service 2022NameAgeSamantha FinchN/AHarriet PaigeN/AEveline Wheeler0Lillian Wheeler3 See also Tornadoes in Chicago References Sources 30em Journal & Topics April 6, 2023 First Tornado Recorded In Illinois — In Des Plaines, May 22, 1855! https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/393766/ September 3, 2025 Journal & Topics Lincoln W. Scott May 3, 2021 Determining the Location of May 22, 1855, Chicago Area Tornado https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/48605 September 3, 2025 National Weather Service National Weather Service October 20, 2022 Des Plaines Tornado of May 22, 1855 https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/5b048ba7ede74e61bf265e91001f4e1a September 3, 2025 National Weather Service National Weather Service June 2, 2023 Damage Assessment Toolkit https://apps.dat.noaa.gov/stormdamage/damageviewer/ September 3, 2025 National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center October 2022 Significant Tornadoes in the Chicago Metropolitan Area https://www.weather.gov/media/lot/severe/chitorlist.pdf September 3, 2025 Storm Prediction Center Category:1855 in Illinois 1855-05-22 Category:Meteorological events in 1855 1855-05-22 1855-05-22 Category:Des Plaines, Illinois Category:Mount Prospect, Illinois