Damage caused by the Redcliff Cyclone on June 25, 1915 (Photo courtesy of Esplanade Archives)

By Scott Roblin

Redcliff Cyclone

Legacy of infamous ‘Redcliff Cyclone’ lives on 105 years later

Jun 25, 2020 | 5:09 PM

REDCLIFF, AB – A significant anniversary passed for the Town of Redcliff on Thursday, as one of the most destructive tornadoes in Alberta’s history hit the community 105 years ago.

On the evening of June 25, 1915, a sizable tornado ripped its way through the community before moving onto other southern Alberta communities.

“It certainly was one of the earliest, biggest natural disasters in our province,” said Esplanade archivist Philip Pype.

Colloquially known as the ‘Redcliff Cyclone,’ the storm demolished much of the community’s industrial sector with buildings like the cigar factory and knitting mill were leveled.

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“It basically ripped down the industrial section of town and into the commercial district as well,” said Pype. “There were a lot of factories in Redcliff at the time that were just getting going during that boom period. Many of those were knocked to the ground and in many ways Redcliff never recovered.”

Man standing next to a partially destroyed home during the Redcliff Cyclone of 1915 (Photo courtesy of Esplanade Archives)

It’s estimated that the storm cause $150,000 worth of destruction back in 1915, which today equates to over $3.8 million.

Remarkably, there were no fatalities in the tornado with just 12 people suffering injuries, a fact that still baffles Pype to this day.

“One could say it’s an absolute miracle because the property damage was really extensive,” said Pype. “That nobody was killed is quite extraordinary.”

The storm was a major factor in Redcliff’s local economy steeply falling off in the months and years following, combined with World War I and the Great Depression.