I've mentioned before in Franklin Facts that tornadoes are rare in Delaware. In fact, since organized tornado reporting began in 1950, only 55 twisters have been observed in the state, an average of just about one per year.

Prior to 1950, we have some information about the more notable tornadoes in the state, including one that touched down in New Castle County on this date in 1888. Just after six o'clock that evening, a twister about 200 yards wide moved through Hare's Corner, about six miles southeast of Wilmington, killing one man in a blacksmith's shop. The tornado continued to the east-northeast, injuring 22 people on the south side of Wilmington. The headline in the Wilmington newspaper the next day read simply "Terrible Cyclone".

There are no measurements of the wind speeds in this tornado, but based on newspaper accounts of the 40 or so buildings that were damaged or destroyed, the twister likely packed winds of between 115 and 160 mph.