January 21, 1999

A devastating tornado ripped through the town of Beebe (White County). Damages were estimated in the tens of millions of dollars. Beebe High School was severely damaged, and the just-completed $2.5 million junior high was totally destroyed. Several homes and businesses and two churches were obliterated. Hundreds of homes were damaged, and two fatalities were attributed to the storm. The high school gym was leveled shortly after being evacuated, though no one was injured. A few days after the tornado, President Bill Clinton came to Beebe to survey the damage.