A powerful storm overnight produced at least two tornados struck Nashville, Tennessee, killing at least 19 and destroying significant portions of the historic Tennessee State Penitentiary, among many other buildings in the region.
The former state prison operated from 1831 to 1992 along the Cockrill Bend of the Cumberland River northwest of the city, although the Administration Building and the two primary cell blocks visible from the highway were built in 1898. Patterned after the Auburn Prison in Auburn, New York, the 800-cell facility was the site of numerous riots and disturbances over the years because of severe overcrowding issues. It closed after mass riots and lawsuits forced the construction of more modern facilities.
