1920 Tornado outbreak

Saint Michael's Ridge

March 28, 1920

As part of a much larger tornado outbreak across the Great Lakes, this was one of this area's worst tornadoes on record. The tornado first touched down near Uniondale and intensified south of Ossian, leveling farm after farm. The destruction contined across southeast Allen county, with 9 deaths on 5 different farms. After just missing Hoagland, the tornado devastated the village of Townley 3 miles north of Monroeville. Virtually every building in Townley was leveled and included 4 deaths. In Indiana, over 100 buildings were destroyed, wind damage totalling $1,000,000 at the time. Crossing into Ohio, the tornado skipped across Paulding county, damaging farms and uprooting trees. Losses were much greater in Defiance county, as 6 people were killed near the town of Brunersburg. The tornado continued northeast in a skipping fashion across rural farm country before leveling the unlucky community of "Rabbs Corner" in northwest Lucas county where 4 more deaths occurred. The destruction seen below is from Defiance county. These photos were taken at Saint Michael's Ridge north of Defiance, near the intersection of Behrens and Moser roads.