Historical Society looks back to the stormy past

Published 8:02 am Sunday, April 20, 2014

While most people are planning ahead for future storms, the Mower County Historical Society will look back at the storms of Mower County’s past on Tuesday.

Historical Society Interim Director and Curator Jaimie Timm is giving a presentation called “Mower’s Stormy Past” at the Mower County Senior Center from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. The presentation will commemorate Minnesota’s Severe Weather Awareness Week, which runs April 21-25 to stress awareness and preparedness for severe storms.

A photo showing damage from a 1908 storm.  Photo provided by the Mower County Historical Society

A photo showing damage from a 1908 storm.
Photo provided by the Mower County Historical Society

Timm will outline some of the major floods, thunderstorms and snowstorms to hit Mower County from the 1860s to the mid-20th Century.

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For example, Timm will talk about the weather on June 23 and 24, 1908, which produced thunderstorms with hail, strong winds and tornadoes the first day, followed by flooding the next day.

“I call that the storm with everything,” Timm said, adding someone should write a book about the storm.

Timm will also talk about several snowstorms, which often stranded residents in their homes in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

A similar exhibit on Mower County storms was displayed at the Austin Public Library through late March.