Sneed, Arkansas facts for kids
Sneed is a ghost town in Jackson County, Arkansas, in the United States. A ghost town is a place where most or all people have left. Sneed was once a small farming community. Today, not much is left of it.
The Story of Sneed
William Sneed and his family moved to this area. They came from Illinois after the American Civil War. This was a long time ago. They settled down and started a farm community.
In Sneed, there was a church and a school. They were right next to each other. This shows that the community was small and close-knit.
The Big Tornado of 1929
On April 10, 1929, a very strong tornado hit northern Jackson County. This tornado was an F5 tornado. An F5 is the strongest type of tornado on the Fujita scale. It was the only F5 tornado ever recorded in Arkansas.
Many people in Sneed saw the tornado coming. They quickly found safe places to hide. Some hid in storm cellars. Others went under a road bridge. Some even hid in a barn or a chicken house.
The tornado likely started near Batesville. It then moved into Jackson County. It became super strong near a place called Pleasant Valley. This area was also known as Possum Trot. Then, the tornado moved about 2 miles (3.2 km) east to Sneed.
Both Pleasant Valley and Sneed were almost completely destroyed. Witnesses said the tornado was about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) wide. After passing Sneed, the tornado started to get weaker. It then moved southeast of Alicia.
Rescue efforts were very difficult. Large pieces of wood and other debris blocked the roads. Heavy rains from the tornado made the roads very muddy. Twenty-three people sadly died. Many others were badly hurt. A temporary morgue was set up in Swifton.
Today, all that remains of Sneed is an empty space. This is where the school and church used to stand.
