March 18, 1925 Tornado Outbreak

Damage:

GRAZULIS: Moved ENE from near Buck Lodge, 8 miles N of Gallatin. Homes were swept away in many communities, including Keytown, Angle, Oak Grove, and Liberty. As many as eight people died in one home. Trees were blown down in the steep valleys as well as on the hilltops. At least 27 people died in Tennessee. Crossing into Kentucky, the tornado struck Holland, killing four. The funnel may have either weakened or lifted over southern Barren County before striking Beaumont, Metcalfe County. There, it killed eight more, five in one family. Over 150 homes were damaged or destroyed.

SHAMBURGER (2016): This historic, well-documented tornado was one of the strongest, if not the strongest, tornadoes ever recorded in Middle Tennessee. The devastation in northern Sumner County, including homes being completely swept away, bodies carried hundreds of yards and being dismembered, and ground scouring suggest this tornado may have reached F5 intensity. The detailed account of the tornado path from John F. Creasy also suggests the tornado may have lifted in extreme northwest Macon County, with the next member of the tornado family touching down southwest of Holland, KY. However, the path by Grazulis extending from Buck Lodge, TN to Beaumont, KY is kept here due to uncertainty. Finally, both Grazulis and the Nashville American newspaper list at least 27 deaths from this tornado in Sumner County with at least 50 serious injuries, some very critical. In fact, later newspaper articles and genealogy websites indicate Charles Hughes of Westmoreland died from his injuries on March 21, 1925, and Nellie Nimmo Harris of Westmoreland died from her injuries on April 17, 1925. This brings the final death toll in Sumner County to 29, which is used here, along with an injury total of 50. Damage in Sumner County totaled over $300,000.

Damage:

GRAZULIS: Moved ENE from near Unionville to 2 miles NE of Fosterville. At least 10 homes were destroyed, and a woman and young boy were killed in two.

FROM THE NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN, MARCH 21, 1925, PAGE 1, "OFFICIAL REPORT SETS STATE TOLL IN TORNADO AT 31":  ...The death toll of the tornado, as corrected and reported for the state last night is 31. Four were killed near Shelbyville, one near Kirkland, and one in Knoxville...

SHAMBURGER (2016): Numerous newspaper articles in the Nashville American indicate 4 people were killed in Bedford County from this tornado, not 2 as Grazulis lists, and a total of 4 was used here.