Yesterday marked the 97th anniversary of the Bond Dancehall explosion, one of the most devastating events in the history of West Plains, Missouri. On Friday, April 13, 1928, an unexplained blast ripped through the Bond Building on East Main Street, killing 39 people, including one who succumbed to injuries a week later, and injuring at least two dozen more.
The explosion obliterated three brick buildings, severely damaged several others, and shattered windows throughout much of downtown. The blast occurred at 11:04 p.m., just as a band was finishing their set.
Photographs taken the next day by 15-year-old Joe Aid, Jr. document the destruction and were later featured in the West Plains Gazette Magazine.
The Bond Dancehall explosion remains one of the deadliest dancehall disasters in U.S. history. West Plains continues to honor the memory of those lost in this tragic chapter of its past.
Learn more about the dancehall explosion at https://www.facebook.com/ExploreWestPlains/
