Browse Items (1421 total)
Crushed by bricks
Many automobiles were damaged or destroyed in the storm, including this truck that was crushed by bricks.
Insulation by the Iowa River
Pink insulation litters the street.
Wind-bent rain gutter
The 155-mph winds bent this rain gutter around the trunk of this small tree.
"Dorothy" unfazed
"Dorothy," the tornado sculpture at the Dubuque Street entrance of the pedestrian mall, was not damaged by the storm. The sculpture was created by Justine Zimmer.
"For Sale: $14,000 OBO"
A car landed in Ralston Creek, near Governor Street. Someone jokingly put a "for sale" sign in the window.
Need a spoon?
Little red plastic spoons from Dairy Queen kept popping up around town.
A Dairy Queen without a roof
Dairy Queen at 526 South Riverside Drive experienced heavy damage from 2006 the tornado.
Hartwig Motors
Henry Hartwig founded this automobile dealer in 1910 in Clutier, Iowa. He relocated the business to Iowa City's Riverside Drive in 1961. The family sold the business to Deery Brothers in 2007. The location of Hartwig Motors falls within the 500-year…
"The Doll House"
The destruction at the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority House produced some of the most iconic imagery demonstrating the destructiveness of the tornado. The images of the bunk beds shown clearly, after a wall had been torn clean off, inspired many to call it…
Saving Lives at Saint Patrick's Church
Saint Patrick
An Easter Bunny looks on
Easter decorations adorn a window. The F2 tornado struck on Holy Thursday.
Tornado damage to Rochester Avenue house
Two-thirds of the roof's ridge beam snapped off. All of the front dormer roof blew away. View of damage to the roof from back of house. Half of back roof completely gone, the other half is askew. Rip Russell on phone with the insurance company,…
Garage blown apart
Three walls and roof of the garage gone. Garage door was sucked around our car.
Alley view behind Rochester Avenue
The tornado went down the alley. Debris everywhere, neighbors out checking on each other.
Debris deposited on property
More debris. Neighbors' concrete block garage collapsed.
Flattened fence
Fence flattened by flying debris
Cardinal sans tail feathers
So sad! This cardinal is in shock
Collapsed garage
Neighbors' concrete block garage collapsed into the yard and alley. The Russells think that this is the point that the tornado set down again after damaging Iowa Avenue.
Collapsed garage
Another neighbor's garage collapsed, and some post tornado humor.
Wicked Witch doormat
Post tornado humor. Here, a doormat referencing the "Ding dong, the witch is dead" song from The Wizard of Oz is placed near tornado damage.
Earrings remain hanging
The tornado tore off the roof over my walk-in closet. Interestingly, all of my earrings are hanging perfectly. My clothes, which you don
1977 Letter about selling First Presbyterian Church fixtures to Old Brick Associates
Letter from church leadership to members who purchased church fixtures regarding a request to sell those fixtures to Old Brick Associates, who had purchased the church building
1855 Receipt for $600 received by Rev. F.A. Shearer, for services as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church
Receipt for $600.00 received by Rev. F.A. Shearer, for services as pastor from April 1, 1854 to April 1, 1855.
1912 Letter from Andrew Meneely to Rev. Wylie about bells
Letter from Andrew Meneely, President and General Manager of Meneely & Co., about the various stamps the company used on bells previous to 1849. This letter is in response to a previous letter to Meneely & Co, and relates to Rev. Wylie’s search for…
1911 Letter from Rector Williams to the First Presbyterian Church
Letter from W.D. Williams, Rector of Trinity Church in Iowa City, to the First Presbyterian Church on occasion of their 70th anniversary.
1976 Specifications for receiving bids to demolish church building
Specifications for receiving bids to demolish church building
1976 Bid from Gordon Russell Inc. to demolish church building
Bid from Gordon Russell Inc. to demolish church building
1923 Land Patent Record for the First Presbyterian Church (copy)
A copy of the Church’s Land Patent Record. Filed by J. M. Kadlec on May 25, 1923.
Carnegie Library's Linn Street Entrance, 1975
Linn Street entrance to the Carnegie Library, June 1975
Carnegie Library, 1975
Carnegie Library with east side addition, June 1975
1911 Letter from Rev. Schell to Rev. Wylie about the Church’s missing bell
Rev. J.P. Schell writes to Rev. D. W. Wylie about the Church’s missing bell. He states that, in addition to hearing about the bell from other sources, while serving as a missionary in Utah he met Brigham Young’s brother George, and that George Young…
1844 Letter and envelope from Theodore Sanxay to Rev. Michael Hummer
Letter from Theodore Sanxay to Rev. Michael Hummer. The letter is dated June 6, 1844, and is addressed to Rev. Hummer in New York. It speaks of the ongoing construction of the Church and materials for it, so it seems likely that this was during one…
1853 Receipt for $91.00 received by Rev. John Crozier, for services as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church
Rev. John Crozier (August 27, 1822-December 23, 1891) was pastor at First Presbyterian Church from May-August, 1853. During his short tenure he met several times with Rev. Michael Hummer to discuss the stolen Church bell and Rev. Hummer’s claims for…