25 Years Ago: F4 Tornado Struck Bright, Harrison

Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 7:28 AM

By Mike Perleberg

Above is a slideshow of the Harrison-area storm damage from June 2, 1990, courtesy of Tony Lombardi. (Harrison, Oh.) - Tuesday marks 25 years since an F4 tornado tore through Bright and Harrison. The nighttime tornado touched down in Dearborn County’s Logan Township at about 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, 1990. The twister would continue wrecking a path through Bright and Harrison. It continued through Butler and Warren counties in Ohio until dissipating near Mason. Heidi Davies remembers the storm well. Her high school graduation party was happening that evening. “It was at the Sunman Fish and Game Club. We had to take cover in the building and electric lines blocked the parking lot. Luckily no one was injured. What a memorable graduation party,” she recalled for Eagle 99.3. There we no fatalities associated with the storm, but 37 people were injured. Three people were rescued from ruble of collapsed buildings in Harrison. Though it was not directly in the tornado’s path, about 20 people were injured when a tent collapsed at a wine festival at Chateau Pomije Winery in New Alsace as people sought shelter from the rain. More than 800 homes, businesses, and schools were damaged. According to the American Red Cross, 47 homes in Bright were destroyed, joined by 30 more in Harrison, mostly in the Whitewater Meadows neighborhood. Cincinnati West Airport and the Rumpke Softball Complex were severely damaged. Then-Indiana Governor Evan Bayh declared Dearborn County, along with 27 other counties, disaster areas. The same was done in Harrison and other Ohio communities by former Governor Richard Celeste. The cleanup in both communities lasted for months. The Red Cross and many volunteers helped affected families get their lives back in order. First responders, the American Red Cross, and citizens will mark the tornado 25th anniversary Tuesday at Skyline Chili on Harrison Avenue in Harrison. There will be a police versus firefighters coney eating contest, photos from the storm, and tornado preparation tutorials. The event runs from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. You can share your 1990 Bright-Harrison tornado photos, videos, and stories with us.