On June 30, 1908 a small astroid, perhaps 160-200 feet thick, exploded before reaching the ground near the Tunguska River in Eastern Siberia. Thought to have been about 15-megatons, this explosion flattened an estimated 500 acres of forest. It was the largest impact on earth in recorded history caused worldwide climatic effect. A noctilucent cloud developed over much of the earth, illuminating night skies. Great storms sunk ships at sea, destroyed lives and property all over the United States, and blew over oak and peach trees in Erath County. Instead of heating up like a typical Erath summer, the following weeks were springlike, and [ July, 24th] according to “George Lidia who came to Erath County in 1859, who been a close observer of the seasons, remembers none equalling the present summer for rain. . . . The nights have been delightfully pleasant with few really warm days.” It just so happened that Col. L. S. Polk and Bruce Cage decided to try a large crop of sugar beets this summer, hoping to “establish at Stephenville a great factory for converting beets into sugar.” No doubt it was a bumper crop – but alas, Erath summers were never that cool or wet again.

Stephenville Tribune, Fort Worth Star-Telegram