Name: A whirlwind crosses Beaver Island from Indian Point to the harbor on October 5, 1997
Start: 1997-10-05
End: 1997-10-05
Location: Beaver Island

Locator map: Beaver Island highlighted within the Beaver Island archipelago — Took place at Beaver IslandLocator plate © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0); depths NOAA; names USGS GNIS. How the plates are drawn.

Event

Date: 1997-10-05
Kind: Weather
Where: Beaver Island
Eras: Modern era
Concepts: weatheremergency-managementenvironmentcommunitycommunication
Within: Beaver Island

Summary

On October 5, 1997, a narrow path of violent wind crossed Beaver Island from Indian Point toward the harbor. The Beaver Beacon describes waterspouts, downed trees and power lines, damage at the St. James Campground and village properties, and fewer than a dozen moderately to heavily damaged roofs. No serious injuries were reported.

Evidence limits

The article calls the phenomenon a “whirlwind” and discusses tornadoes and waterspouts, but it does not establish a formal meteorological classification or instrument record.

Sources

Beaver Beacon, November 1997, “WHATEVER IT WAS, IT WAS BA-A-AD!” and “Whirlwind at the Campground.”
Reports a narrow path of damaging wind on October 5 from Indian Point to the harbor, waterspouts, downed trees and power lines, damage at St. James Campground and Village properties, and moderate to heavy damage to fewer than a dozen roofs without serious injuries. A companion account records Brian and Tony Bousquet and Justin Martin sheltering in the campground restroom after trees fell around them. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1997-11_Beaver-Beacon
Beaver Beacon, November 1997, held issue PDF, source scan.
The held issue scan confirms the October 5 whirlwind report and campground account.
data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1997-11_Beaver-Beacon

Added 5 August 2026. Recent changes

Cite this article

Beaver Island Archive, “A whirlwind crosses Beaver Island from Indian Point to the harbor on October 5, 1997”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/events/beaver-island-october-5-1997-whirlwind/, accessed [date], citing Beaver Beacon, November 1997, “WHATEVER IT WAS, IT WAS BA-A-AD!” and “Whirlwind at the Campground.” (and 1 further source listed on the page).

Last revised 2026-08-05. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.

BibTeX for “A whirlwind crosses Beaver Island from Indian Point to the harbor on October 5, 1997”RIS for “A whirlwind crosses Beaver Island from Indian Point to the harbor on October 5, 1997”