On Tuesday, January 11, 1898, a powerful tornado swept through western Arkansas, striking Fort Smith and Van Buren. The storm claimed 52 lives in Fort Smith and three lives in Van Buren. It touched down near the National Cemetery around 11:00 PM CST, causing significant damage in the area. The tornado then swept through downtown Fort Smith, devastating much of the city’s retail district and heavily damaging the high school. A street sign from Fort Smith was discovered 22 miles away. Sixteen of the city’s 52 fatalities occurred within a single residential block. With a total of 55 lives lost, this tornado remains tied as the deadliest in Arkansas history.
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