| 4/3/2003 3:00:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| April 3, 1974: Tornadoes ripped through Indiana, leaving hundreds dead and injured. (Photo courtesy of Scott Koerner) |
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Local man’s Web site preserves memories of deadly tornadoes
By: Jennifer Eades
Courier Staff Writer
April 3, 1974 began as a normal day in Jefferson County, but an event that would forever affect this area and many other states was brewing in the clouds.
It began to rain, but thunderstorms were forecast for the area so it was no surprise. Then hail began pouring to the earth.
Before long a heavy, eerie, foreboding silence fell on the city. The clouds were churning and the sky became an undescribable shade of green that will stay in the memory of anyone who witnessed the tornado of 1974.
As many people stood on porches watching the weird sky or simply paid no attention to it at all, a rumbling sound began to be heard. The sound grew louder and louder until it truly sounded like a freight train was roaring through downtown Madison.
A train of sorts was coming through town — a tornado.
Scott Koerner was just a child living in Indianapolis on April 3, 1974, and he knew nothing of the destruction the tornado wreaked on the people of Jefferson County. He does remember seeing headlines and pictures of the damage in The Indianapolis Star as he was delivering the paper the next day, though.
Shortly after the tornado the Koerner family moved to Madison and Scott saw some of the leveled homes, uprooted trees and twisted shards of unidentifiable objects that dotted the city and county. He didn’t give it much thought, being a child it was something he realized was bad but didn’t fully understand.
He has come to fully understand the day, however, since he has lived in Madison for many years and heard many people relive their experiences. He was inspired to preserve those experiences, photographs and articles so he put another interest of his to work — creating Web sites.
Koerner created www.april31974.com and dedicated it to the 315 people who lost their lives and the 5,000 who were injured. Some meteorologists have referred to the outbreak as the second worst storm in the 1900s.
“I wanted to make a site that everybody could share their stories and their pictures,” Koerner said. His three goals for the site were to provide scientific data for people researching the day, provide photos and provide stories. All three are available with the click of a mouse.
The site has a function that allows individuals to enter their own accounts of the day’s events and many have taken advantage. “It really sets a personal level to it,” he said.
When Koerner got the idea for this Web site he had nothing to put on it. He had no photos, no stories, no data, but it didn’t take long before he began developing a library of information. “Everything in that Web site has been given to me or purchased over Ebay,” he said.
Some of his local contributors include Paul Blume, who provided photos of Hanover College; Jim Pirtle who shared aerial shots; Don and Jean Server who had photos of Southwestern schools; Tim Lichlyter who provided newspapers and photographs taken by his parents; and The Madison Courier, which is providing all of its photographs to be included on his Web site.
Koerner has bought books about the tornado and downloaded every page, he has secured a recording of WHAS helicopter pilot Dick Gilbert’s notification of the tornado as he followed it through Louisville and he’s collected technical data from Dr. Ted Fujita, the man for whom the tornado ranking scale is named.
To his surprise Koerner has learned that many other Web site operators have linked their site to his. Fujita’s son, who is also a meteorologist in Michigan, has linked the site which really pleased Koerner.
“Since I’m using so much of his father’s work at least I know he’s supportive of me,” he said, noting he “did a little dance” when he realized Fujita chose to link to his Web site. He’s also accessible through numerous search engines.
Koerner says he has a lot of work left to do on the site, but hopes in five to six years to have it just the way he wants. He would like to collect more local photos and stories.
“I want to make it respectful. It’s the human side that’s most interesting,” he said.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, January 22, 2009
Article comment by:
LALITA MCCLEESE HODGE
WOW I FOUND SOMETHING THIS TAKES ME BACK TO THAT DAY. ALWAYS WANTED TO TALK WITH PEOPLE THAT LIVED NEAR MY FAMILY. MY SISTER WAS KILLED IN THIS STORM. MY SELF WAS IN HOSPITAL FOR SOME TIME AND MY MOTHER AND BROTHER WE WERE ALL HURT VERY BADLY. IF IT WASNT FOR MY OLDER SISTER THAT TOOK MY SISTER ANS BROTHER IN TO A DITCH THEY WOULD OF BEEN HURT JUST AS WELL. SHE WAS A ANGEL FOR MY FAMILY. MY MOTHER AND MY BOTHER THAT WAS HURT ALONG WITH MY SELF. THANK GOD THAT WE PULLED THRU THIS. BUT COME IN SPRING IT COMES BACK WHEN THE WEATHER GETS BAD. BUT IM SO HAPPY I FOUND THIS. ANYONE THAT WAS THERER IN BLANCHESTER THAT WANTS TO TALK FEEL FREE TO CALL ME 513-485-1301. MY NAME IS LITA.
Posted: Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Article comment by:
Elise
I was in grade school
with an older brother
attending Hanover. He
and his Phi Delt brother
went outside with lawn
chairs and beer to watch
the storms. They did get
inside in time. The
phones were out and we
didn't know if he was
alive or dead for a day
or two. It was very
scary and I still think
about the students who
did die that day.
Posted: Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Article comment by:
Brittany
I have heard a lot about this event. I wasn't even thought of! But my dad was helping clean up at Hanover College and a tree fell on him and broke his bake and one of the limbs went through his back and out his chest. He was very luck to live but he did and he still talks about that day.
Posted: Thursday, December 13, 2007
Article comment by:
Debbie Gosser
I was 5 years old living in Ingle Ky. My grandparents live in Nancy KY they were both killed in the 1974 tornado that hit the community of Piney Grove Ridge. I would be interested in any newspaper clippings of that particular area.
Posted: Thursday, March 15, 2007
Article comment by:
Terry McGhee
Wow, your site really brings back some memories. I was 6 at the time. I lived directly behind the school next to a garage or car dealership on High St. I recall we had my mother, brothers sister and I had just made it into the basement when the tornado hit. I was traumatized and for years after would freak out during heavy storms. These days I still get edgy when the sky turns a certain color or I hear the sirens.
Posted: Thursday, December 14, 2006
Article comment by:
donald baber,Trooper I.S.P.
Your site is great, details accurate. I was there, will never forget.
Posted: Friday, July 21, 2006
Article comment by:
Jim Cipriani
I lived in Saylor park when the toranado hit. Still do. I was Seventeen yrs. old and just got of work.The hail was the size of golf balls .Saylor Park has never been the same.
Posted: Monday, April 03, 2006
Article comment by:
TINA WRIGHT
I HAVE BEEN LOOKING ON THE INTERNET FOR SOME TIME NOW ABOUT THE TORNADO'S THAT HIT IN APRIL 1974. I LIVED IN BLANCHESTER OHIO I WAS 4 YEARS OLD AND MY FAMILY WAS IN THE TORNADO WE ALL GOT HURT AND MY SISTER WAS KILLED WE LIVED IN A NEW MOBLE HOME FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN BY THE TORNADO. THERE WAS A STORY IN THE NEWPAPER ABOUT MY FAMILY WHEN IT HAPPEN. AND I WOULD LOVE TO FIND IT. THIS IS SOMTHING THAT I CAN'T FORGET I LIVE WITH IT EVERYDAY IT'S LIKE IT HAPPEN YESTERDAY.SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE HELP ME. OUR LAST NAME IN THE NEWPAPER WAS HODGE.
Posted: Monday, February 27, 2006
Article comment by:
cody
this really helped me on my project on tornadoes thanks!
Posted: Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Article comment by:
Bobby Coleman
Great web sites sorry about all the deaths that occured and damaged done,hope that there are no more storms in our forseeable future.But would like to see a movie made of this
Posted: Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Article comment by:
Angelia Chaffin
I was wondering if you had any pictures and a newspaper article of Guin, Alabama I am doing a research on the tornado that hit there
Posted: Thursday, May 27, 2004
Article comment by:
WILMA BARRON GRESK
I RELIVE THAT DAY EVERY TIME WE HAVE A STORM .MY FEAR IS SO BAD ,THAT I JUST FREAK OUT!I WAS 12 AND HAD JUST LOST MY MOTHER DEC.1973 ON THE 19TH AND THEN APRIL 3RD CAME ALONG AND TOOK EVERY THING WE HAD ,I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY!I LOVE YOUR SITE I THINK YOU HAVE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB .
Posted: Monday, April 05, 2004
Article comment by:
Doug Hutchens
I was at Berea College just a few miles from the Richmond Ky Storms and just north of the London Ky Storms. I really appreciate the site and if you ever compile a video of this outbreak I would sure love to buy one. I teach school these days and it would be wonderful to use during Tornado Awareness Week.
Doug Hutchens
Posted: Friday, April 02, 2004
Article comment by:
Mary Best
I lived 25 miles from Monticello, IN that day. Tomorrow is the 30th aniv. of that horrifying day. I remember it like yesterday. Being a storm watcher anyway, I had a "feeling" that day and left work to be at home with my young children. A friend was driving home from Lafayette, IN and saw "two telephone poles" (funnels) go across the road in front of her while driving through a storm near Otterbein, IN (SW of Monticello. Upon hearing via area radio station about 6:00 P.M. the horrifying news coming from the Monticello area I listened with disbelief. I know people who were in that storm. Some stories are gone as some have passed away. I tried to do a 25th anniversary book for the city but couldn't get any cooperation from newspaper editor there. I'm thankful for websites like this to honor those lives lost that day. BTW, I have the original booklet that is presented on this site.
Posted: Friday, July 25, 2003
Article comment by:
Cincie Rohrman
My family and I are trying to locate the Tom Hale who in 1974 rode is 10-speed bicycle across country to raise money to aid the disaster victims of his then tornado-swept Cincinnati
suburban community, Saylor Park. Do you know of him?
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