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A crowd gathers to view the damage caused by the tornado.1912
Regina, Saskatchewan
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Five men from Corrine, Saskatchewan came to Regina to view the damage caused by the tornado.1912
Regina, Saskatchewan
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The spectacle of a ruined city lured spectators in from surrounding areas not just to help clean up, but to look too.7
'Saved from the storm', a cartoon published after the tornado.1912
Regina, Saskatchewan
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Souvenir booklet of images from before and after the tornado.1912
Regina, Saskatchewan
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Images of the tornado's aftermath soon found their way into newspapers, postcards and souvenir pamphlets. These materials were circulated within the city and spread beyond Regina's borders as they were sent to friends and relatives all over the world.While many tornado-related items and images were intended to satisfy curiosity and act as a legacy to remember the event, some people took advantage of the situation to drum up business.
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Advertisement in the Morning Leader newspaper following the tornado.July, 1912
Regina, Saskatchewan
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Some businesses simply capitalized on the needs generated by the tornado, such as a notice concerning limited supplies of plate glass, which was in high demand after the storm.12
Advertisement in the Morning Leader newspaper following the tornado.July, 1912
Regina, Saskatchewan
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Others took advantage of the fear provoked by the tornado, such as the Dominion Trust Company, Ltd. On July 2nd, a mere two days after the tornado, the Morning Leader contained an ad for Tornado Insurance: "50c per $100 for Three Years. Too Cheap to Be Without Protection."14
Postcard showing the damage on South Railway Street, with a message about the tornado on the back.July, 1912
South Railway Street, Regina, Saskatchewan
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Perhaps the most lucrative business enterprise was tornado postcards. These showed various views of the damage caused by the tornado, and were also a way for the people of Regina to add their own messages and impressions of the event.This postcard, showing a view of the damage caused on South Railway, reads:
"Dear Ted,
This is only a little patch of damage done by Cyclone, show you complete set of views when you come for Exhibition...(Yours, Elsie)"
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Building Community Mural by Regina artist Sherry Farrell Racette30 March 2006
Regina, Saskatchewan
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As time passed, the Regina Cyclone has become a landmark in the city's historical landscape. The event has served to inspire many school projects and papers, essays and books, not to mention a stage play and a baseball team!Now even nearly 100 years since "the" tornado struck Regina, it remains one of the most fascinating events in our city's history.
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