Peggs, Oklahoma lies in the lush eastern portion of the state just ten miles east of the Neosho River and Fort Gibson Lake. It’s a small community of fewer than 1,000 people along State Highway 82 midway between Tahlequah and Locust Grove. It lies in the heart of the Cherokee Nation, and many of its residents are Native Americans of either Cherokee or Creek heritage. In fact, the town was named for Thomas Pegg, Chief of the Cherokee during the Civil War. The quaint peacefulness found there today belies a tragic history. One hundred years ago, the third deadliest tornado in state history nearly wiped it off the map.
1920 had been a terrible tornado season. The third deadliest tornado day in American history on March 28 was followed by another devastating outbreak on April 20 that ravaged the Deep South. Just twelve days later, nature’s wrath came to the Great Plains. May 2, 1920, was an oppressively hot and humid day in Oklahoma. An underbelly of low clouds dispersed during the afternoon, revealing clear skies…save for singular, towering, angry storm clouds building to the west. This indicated a shift from weaker thunderstorms to powerful, independent supercells.
The worst of the destruction came over three hours in the final hours of daylight, with three severe tornadoes, each almost exactly an hour apart. At 6:30pm, an estimated F3 tornado struck just north of Chelsea, 35 miles northwest of Peggs. Several farmhouses were destroyed, and a man on horseback was thrown 400 yards and killed. The tornado was spectacularly visible, and the townspeople in Chelsea watched in awe as it swirled through farm country to the north. It ultimately killed four people.
An hour later, an even stronger tornado wiped out three farms four miles north of Chouteau, just ten miles northwest of Peggs. Miraculously, no one was killed. The people of Peggs remained blissfully unaware of what was going on just across the river. At 8:30pm, the town was hit with a terrific electrical storm, followed immediately by pounding hail. In the distance, there was a roaring sound that grew progressively louder. Then the half-mile wide monster struck the town. Peggs was virtually wiped off the map. Just seven buildings remained standing. The tornado struck without warning at a time when most people were home, and nearly the entire residential section simply ceased to exist. It was a worst case scenario. 71 people died, nearly a third of the town’s population of 250, including at least seven (possibly eight) members of the Littlefield family. The town’s only doctor was also killed. Twenty reportedly died in a single building. Clothing and other debris from obliterated homes were scattered across surrounding fields and forests up to five miles away.
Remarkably, the town’s old, wooden jail survived. The concrete block store next door was leveled…just another example of the fickle nature of tornadoes. The storm was spectacular and visible for miles. Many people in surrounding towns watched the terrific lightning show. The storm clouds were also lit up in vivid colors by the setting sun. However, the tornado was shrouded by rain, so no one knew the horror that was happening underneath those clouds. Peggs was also what was referred to as an “inland” town, meaning it wasn’t on the railroad. It was six hours before news of the disaster reached anyone who could help and even longer to get aid to the stricken town along muddy roads choked with debris.
To their credit, however, the locals rallied together to help the victims. The following day, nearly every business in Tahlequah was closed, and everyone went north to help their neighbors. Other nearby towns did the same. A relief train from Muscogee brought in doctors and nurses to help the injured. News and supplies were also brought in by air, likely one of the earliest instances of airplanes being used to assist in disaster relief. At the time, it was second-deadliest tornado in Oklahoma’s history, exceeded only by the F5 that leveled Snyder in 1905. Both were overtaken by the legendary Woodward tornado in 1947. In 1942, the town of Pryor, just ten miles north of Chouteau…just across the river from Peggs, …was wiped out by a similarly large and violent tornado, killing 52. That tornado was the fifth deadliest in state history.
Amazingly, Peggs not only rebuilt, but they’ve also grown significantly in the years since. In 1920, the town’s population was only 250. Today, it’s home to nearly 1,000. This stands in stark contrast to places like Murphysboro, Illinois, whose population and economy never really recovered following the Tri-State Tornado five years later. The fact that Peggs sits in arguably the prettiest part of Oklahoma surrounded by a thriving Native American community probably helped. The reminders are few, but they’re there. Mother Nature occasionally offers some. On May 20, 2019, a massive EF2 tornado roughly 1.5 miles wide struck Peggs, causing widespread damage but fortunately no deaths…a warning of the threat tornadoes still pose.
~ Written by Eric Brown
The image above is from The Arrow-Democrat (Tahlequah, OK) Vol. 37, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, May 7, 1920 Page: 1. Click HERE to read the newspaper.
Weather History 