1924 – Aug 10, Tornado, Henry Kuns homestead 4 miles east of Thurman, CO          —     10

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-25-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

—  10  Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 494.

—  10  Nevada State Journal, Reno. “10 Killed By Colorado Tornado.” 8-11-1924, p. 1.

—  10  Tornado Project Online, Stories, “A Tragic Harvest Celebration.”

Narrative Information

Grazulis: “On Sunday, August 10, 1924, four miles east of Thurman, Colorado, the Garrett, Yoder, and Kuhns families gathered at Henry Kuhns’ ranch after a Mennonite service. Twenty-seven people had just finished a harvest celebration dinner. Just after 1:00 pm, one of the men spotted a tornado to the north, in the direction of an adjoining ranch.

“Very much in the Mennonite tradition of assisting people after disasters, Henry Kuhns and eight other men left to see whether help was needed. When they saw that no buildings had been hit, they returned to the ranch to witness the most tragic moment of their lives. What may have been the next member of that tornado family was bearing down from the west, directly at the ranch house. Eighteen women and children inside were apparently unaware of the approach of an intense, 100-yard-wide funnel.

“The men drove southward as fast as possible but, as they came to within 200 yards of the front gate, the house ‘trembled as if a giant unseen fist was shaking it.’ After a few seconds ‘the structure was ripped apart and its occupants hurled into the air.; Ten of the 18 people died; nine of the 10 were children.” (Grazulis. The Tornado: Nature’s Ultimate Windstorm. Page 159.)

Newspaper

Aug 10: “Denver, Aug. 10. – Ten persons were killed and five seriously injured late this afternoon when a tornado demolished the farm house of Henry Kuns, a farmer residing four miles east of Thurman, Colorado, according to information received here tonight. It was reported that at least two of those injured would die.

“All of the dead and injured were either residents or visitors at the Kuns farm house when the storm struck. The storm struck the Kuns home, demolished it, destroyed the chicken house and barns on the place as well as two automobiles, which were standing in the yard.

“The dead are:

Four children of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Yoder.

Mrs. Henry Kuns.

Two children of Mr. and Mrs. Kuns.

The Rev. Amos Burkey.

Fred Garrett.

….

“After demolishing the buildings on the Kuns farm, the storm was seen to lift and travel eastward. No report of it having struck at any other place in the vicinity has been received here.

“According to reports from neighbors of the Kuns family, Mr. and Mrs. Yoder and family and the Rev. and Mrs. Amos Burkey were guests at dinner at the Kuns home, having accompanied the members of the Kuns family home from the noon day church service.

“….Thurman is a small inland town consisting of three or four store buildings, a church and a school. It is 33 miles north of Flagler, Colorado, which is the nearest railroad point.” Nevada State Journal, Reno. “10 Killed By Colorado Tornado.” 8-11-1924, p. 1.

Sources

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

Nevada State Journal, Reno. “10 Killed By Colorado Tornado.” 8-11-1924, p. 1. Accessed 3-25-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/nevada-state-journal-aug-11-1924-p-1/

Tornado Project Online. Stories. “A Tragic Harvest Celebration.” Accessed 1/4/2009 at: http://www.tornadoproject.com/