1953 Tornado Memorial

December 5, 1953 --- the day began in a normal way. It was warm and blustery, which we all know isn’t all that uncommon down South during the holiday season., Christmas wreaths and decorations had been placed downtown, and shoppers filled the family-owned mom and pop stores on Washington Street. Many locals were busy planning for the Leo Puckett benefit game, in which Carr Central and Redwood schools would battle against the best from Culkin and Jett. Meanwhile, at The Saenger Theater, a crowd of children were enjoying a Saturday afternoon matinee --- having no idea what they soon would face., Reports claimed that throughout the day it would rain and then the sun would suddenly shine again. A little after 5 p.m., the clouds became darker and rain fell intermittently. Shoppers began to go home and most store owners prepared to close. Suddenly, at 5:35 p.m., out of the southwest, tornadic winds roared through the downtown area creating destruction unlike anything seen since the Siege of Vicksburg 90 years earlier., The tornado cut a path of complete ruin from the Mississippi River, near the mouth of the Yazoo Diversion Canal across the main business district, leveling blocks of residential areas and then disappearing into the National Military Park and the reaches beyond., The aftermath was unbelievable --- hospitals overflowed with those injured, locals were lifted from their homes, motorists were killed as they rode through the streets, debris buried victims, phone and power lines were down and the Saturday afternoon matinee ended abruptly with children being trapped by a massive roof collapsing. Its toll --- 38 dead, over 200 injured, 1,200 or more left homeless, and a city that would have to work hard to heal the pain caused by such a disastrous beast., For Vicksburg, the tornado not only became a painful and distressing memory in the minds of all those who experienced its wrath, but it became a benchmark and part of Vicksburg's rich history. After the tragedy, people began to refer to events as "before the tornado" and "after the tornado." The Vicksburg Post even won a Pulitzer Prize for its outstanding coverage of the tragedy. The tornado's destruction completely changed the face of the downtown area, and those store owners who worked hard to create a life for themselves and their families were forced to adapt the best way they could., Before the tornado, many of the businesses and buildings in the downtown area were several stories high. However, after the tornado, many of these floors were completely leveled or blown away. The look of downtown changed --- the business district emerged from the rubble with a modern look. New store fronts were added, and the upper stories of the businesses that were destroyed by the winds --- many of which served as living quarters --- were never rebuilt. Brick replaced wood, walls were reinforced with steel and interiors were renovated., For residents and business owners, the process of rebuilding was monumental, yet not as monumental as trying to forget the horrible tragedy that took the lives of loved ones and destroyed the dreams of many business owners. The look of today's downtown shopping area is a tribute to the courage and perseverance of those business leaders who worked to rebuild their lives after the tornado. This Memorial is dedicated to the memory of those men, women and children who became victims on that sad December day and who will forever live in the storybooks of Vicksburg's history., Harlan L. Fried age 3 . Robert Stanley Glatt age 9 . Brenda K. Thornell age 7 . Joyce Lee Barfield age 7 . Lawrence Paul Paine age 30 . Nicholas F. Cassino, Sr. age 59 . Mrs. Callie Townsend Tingle age 76 . Ples G. Hester age 34 . Silver Powell age 7 . Abraham Smith age 77 . Rosa Lee Bentley age 54 . Nathaniel Brown age 23 . Claudia Mae Varnado age 55 . Squire Harris age 64 . Nellie Nelson age unknown . David Ford age 35 . Jack Tohill, Sr. age 57 . Roosevelt Brown age 35 . G.E. Lowery age 53 . Lindsey Groves age 2 . Alvin E. Harwood age 9 . C. Lorraine Thornell age 5 . Jack Palermo age 18 . L.M. Langran age 48 . Mrs. W.L. Ingle age 51 . Kay Warren age 17 . Exo C. Evans age 39 . Susie Hebron age 80 . Harry Dillard age 74 . Agnes Martin age 23 . Alonzo Wright age 56 . Joseph Winn age 22 . Emma Pearl Johnson age 6 . Louis Williams age 72 . Herbert Bloch age 79 . Regine Jacob age 88 . Letitia Walls age 66 . David Martin age 53 . This memorial is in Vicksburg in Warren County Mississippi