Historical Images of Porter County

A Freak of the Storm
Aylesworth, Indiana

Date: 1917
Source Type: Photograph
Publisher, Printer, Photographer: Olmstead
Postmark: Not Applicable
Collection: Steven R. Shook
Remark: A FREAK OF THE STORM
This farm house, at Konts [Kouts], Indiana, was carried several rods by wind and deposited on level ground without much damage to the house. Other buildings in Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky, Alabama and Arkansas were not equally fortunate. In many instances entire towns were destroyed.

The photograph, published in the June 14, 1917, issue of Leslie's Illustrated Weekly Newspaper, was one of several documenting the massive tornadic event that took place in the Midwest on May 26, 1917.

This house still stands [2021] along the north side of present day Indiana State Road 8 about one-quarter mile east of County Road 200 West in Boone Township, Porter County, Indiana (SW¼ of SE¼ of SW¼ of Section 10 Township 33 North Range 6 West).

According to a former resident who lived in the house from 1973 to 2006, Michael J. Aylesworth, the house was built using a Montgomery Wards house plan. It was a kit home with materials shipped by rail to Kouts and then hauled by wagon teams to the site. Though the material was not cut-to-size, the appropriate amount of material was provided to construct the building.

The house was built for Isaac and Pearl (Aylesworth) Jones on land inherited by Pearl from her father, Noble Aylesworth. It was completed in 1915 by a carpenter named Wallace at a material cost of about $5,000.

Source:
Anonymous. 1917. Tornadoes Ravage Middle West. Leslie's Illustrated Weekly Newspaper 124(3223):729.

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