Aug. 23, 1796: Tornado Rips Through Northeast Connecticut

NORTHEAST CONNECTICUT — The National Weather Service Wednesday recounted the details of a tornado that ripped through northeast Connecticut 237 years ago.

It was August 23, 1786. At about 5 p.m., a tornado measuring about a quarter-mile wide formed during a storm and went on a 21.5-mile path that left an area from Killingly to Sturbridge, MA heavily damaged. Five people were inured and two were killed, according to the NWS.

Citing the 1891 publication "Historic Storms of New England" by Sydney Perley, the NWS said several hundred stacks of hay were "lifted up and blown to pieces" and more than 100 buildings wither lost roofs damaged or blown over completely.

Cows were lost and a child was "Taken up by the wind, carried a long distance and dropped upon the earth, being much bruised," according to the NWS, again siting the Perley account.

State records show that area towns averaged fewer than 3,000 residents in the area at the time.