On the afternoon of May 11, 1953, one of the most disastrous tornadoes in Texas history swept through downtown Waco, killing 114 people, destroying 346 buildings, and causing property damage in excess of $50 million. Some of the worst devastation occurred at this site, where 22 employees of the R.T. Dennis Furniture Company died when the building collapsed. Aid to the city came from volunteers, military rescue forces, and donations totaling over $9 million, and the rescue and restoration efforts that followed reflected Waco's strong sense of pride and community spirit.