From the record
One of 1 National Register listings published here for Seward County · listed in 2025 · category: Building.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2025.
One of 1 National Register listings published here for Seward County · listed in 2025 · category: Building.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 99 fires within 5 miles of J E George Building between 2005 and 2020, burning about 202 acres in total. 2 started naturally. 16 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 36 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 16 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 15 |
| Debris and open burning | 10 |
| Smoking | 8 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 3 |
| Other causes | 3 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 2 |
| Fireworks | 2 |
| Natural | 2 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 1 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 September 2015 | Other causes | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 868 |
| 27 September 2007 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Seward County | not named |
| 15 September 2017 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Seward County | 916 |
| 6 August 2007 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Seward County | not named |
| 4 August 2017 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Seward County | 369 |
| 30 August 2015 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 849 |
| 9 July 2007 | Arson/incendiarism | 1.0 acres | Seward County | not named |
| 6 July 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | not named |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Liberal, the town this property stands in, in 285 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 186 hail, 72 thunderstorm wind, 10 tornado, 9 flash flood. The reports record 2 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2000 | Tornado (F1) | Liberal | 2 hurt, $250,000 | Tornado began at 3rd and Pennsylvania and traveled north-northwest to just past the Southwest Medical Center. The small circulation was evidently wrapped into the RFD as it traversed around the southeast section of the Meso. Several trees were uprooted, the awing at a gas station was damaged, signs were blown down. sheds destroyed, KDOT tower was blown down and 1/3 of the hospital roof was removed. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $8,000,000 | A tremendous storm rolled in from the east (HP supercell). The combination of the 80 to 100 mph wind and hail bigger than golf balls produced at least eight million dollars in damage. This occurred six weeks after another devastating storm that produced around $20 million in damage. |
| May 2003 | Tornado (F2) | Liberal | $8,000,000 | The second tornado stayed mainly in town. It destroyed several buildings and caused significant roof and tree damage. |
| May 2003 | Tornado (F2) | Liberal | $6,000,000 | The tornado began 1 mile west of town and first tore through the northwest part of Liberal destroying several mobile homes and throwing a pickup into the debris. Other homes in the area received heavy roof damage. |
| October 1998 | Flash Flood | Liberal | $1,000,000 | Heavy rain fell across the liberal area for 24 hours with the heaviest rain falling between 8 AM and 5 PM CDT. Five to eight inches were reported with one unofficial report indicating 10 inches! Streets were flooded that had never flooded before. A local disaster was declared. |
| May 1996 | Tornado (F2) | Liberal | $200,000 | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Tornado (F2) | Liberal | $150,000 | The tornado began 15 miles north and 1.5 miles west of the center of Liberal and ended 18 miles north and 2 miles east. One home received minor roof damage and broken windows. The second home was destroyed with debris from the home traveling 1/4 of a mile. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $150,000 | Radio tower blown down. |
| May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $100,000 | Several pivot irrigation sprinklers overturned; road signs blown down; power poles blown over. |
| June 1995 | Hail | Liberal | $100,000 | no account filed |
| October 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $50,000 | A pivot irrigation sprinkler overturned. |
| August 2003 | Lightning | Liberal | $50,000 | Lightning struck the roof and caught the house of fire. |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $50,000 | Five trailer houses blown off their foundation with one losing a roof. |
| June 1994 | Hail | Liberal | $50,000 | no account filed |
| March 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $45,000 | Truck blown over, power poles blown down and bleachers at the football field heavily damaged. |
| May 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $15,000 | Part of a wall was blown out at the Southwest Medical Center. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $15,000 | A roof was blown off a house and trees were damaged. |
| October 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $10,000 | A semi truck was blown over on highway 83. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $9,000 | A carport was demolished by the high wind. |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $5,000 | Ten power poles blown down. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $2,000 | Power lines were blown down. |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | $1,000 | Large tree uprooted. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Liberal | - | A video was sent in through social media. |
| August 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | A heat burst winds Mesonet station UP352 2.7 SW Liberal (UPR) recorded a 57 mph wind gust. |
| June 2024 | Flash Flood | Liberal | - | Water over the road. Road Blocked off. |
| February 2023 | Hail | Liberal | - | Report received from social media. pictures were included. |
| February 2023 | Tornado (EF0) | Liberal | - | Tornado confirmed with storm survey. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | At least two flipped simis and power poles down in Liberal. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Numerous structral damage to utility poles and a gas station awning. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Reported as 65 to 70 mph. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Strong winds. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Strong winds. |
| June 2021 | Hail | Liberal | - | Winds were at least 60 MPH along with the hail. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Three inch diameter tree branches were broken by the high wind. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | A roof was torn off a school. |
| March 2021 | Heavy Rain | Liberal | - | Rainfall of 2.50 was observed. |
| August 2020 | Flash Flood | Liberal | - | Streets and ditches were flooded from a quick heavy rain event. |
| July 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Winds were estimated to be around 65 MPH. |
| August 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Electrical lines were blown down. |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | A grain bin was destroyed and rolled 100 yards. |
| August 2017 | Heavy Rain | Liberal | - | Rainfall was 5.0 inches. |
| July 2017 | Flood | Liberal | - | There was numerous street flooding reports. |
| June 2016 | Hail | Liberal | - | Winds were estimated to be between 60 and 70 MPH. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | There was also quarter sized hail with the winds that were estimated to be between 60 and 70 MPH. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | There was wind damage to a house including destroying a carport that ended up in the street. The roof was partially peeled off and an 8 inch diameter tree was snapped off. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Eight to 10 power poles were blown down by the wind. |
| November 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | A large tree was toppled by high wind. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH. |
| September 2012 | Heavy Rain | Liberal | - | Rainfall of 3.50 was reported at a location 2 miles south of Liberal. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Power lines were blown down in Liberal. |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Numerous power poles were snapped. There were also several outbuildings damaged and at least one completely destroyed on the west side of Liberal. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | A Morton building was blown down in the vicinity of 7th street and Industrial Avenue. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Winds were estimated to be blowing at 70 mph. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Liberal | - | Winds were estimated to be 70 mph. |
| March 2009 | Hail | Liberal | - | Dime to nickle sized hail covered the ground. |
| April 2009 | Hail | Liberal | - | There was a lot of dime sized hail covering the ground with quarter sized hail mixed in. |
| August 2009 | Hail | Liberal | - | The hail was nickel to quarter sized. |
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 100012146 in Record Group 79. |
| Seward County | All 1 listed properties in this county. |