48 years ago today, April 3 1974 tornado

[rick64]

Folks that are old enough to remember the tornadoes that hit Louisville and the surrounding area? I was 9 years old and it sounded like a jet plane landing in my yard. Our huge oak tree got pulled out of the ground like a weed. It measured 44” in diameter. So over 11’ around.

 

[J_Dee]

I was born not long after that night. I grew up close to Piney Grove and heard a lot of stories about it growing up.

Lots of pics and eyewitness accounts, courtesy of David Rogers and others:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/507857182609294/search/?q=tornado

 

[dhood989]

UK freshman at the time in the old Haggin Hall. They evacuated us to the first floor and waited the storms out. We had many residents hometowns effected by this breakout. It was a long and spooky night.

 

[DSmith21]

I was six years old and with my mom at a multi story doctors office when the tornado warnings were issued. We raced home and were fine. My grandfather's house off Brownsboro road was a total loss and ultimately had to be rebuilt.

 

[MegaBlue05]

I wasn't alive, but what would've been my great-aunt and uncle were killed when the tornado completely leveled their home in Brandenburg.

 

[26MichaelUK]

I was born not long after that night I grew up close to Piney Grove and heard a lot of stories about it growing up.

Lots of pics and eyewitness accounts, courtesy of David Rogers and others:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/507857182609294/search/?q=tornado

My mom lived in Piney Grove and a different tornado threw her and her Camero over 100 feet off the road that night. All she got was a broken collarbone.

That was just one of 3, and possibly, 4 F3 tornadoes that hit Pulaski County that night. I've been obsessed with tornadoes from the first time she told me about it and showed me pictures.

I've studied the 74 Super Outbreak, the April 2011 Super Outbreak, Joplin, El Reno and the tornadoes in Moore extensively. I'm a huge tornado nerd. If I hadn't joined up I'm 100% certain I'd be chasing tornadoes.

We didn't grow up far from each other.

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

Definitely remember it. Was 6-7. Had no idea how bad it was but did afterwards.

 

[Bill - Shy Cat]

Remember seeing cattle stuck in trees.

 

[JumperJack]

I was a newborn. I have heard, all my life, my parents, aunts, uncles, etc., recollections of it. Can always see in their eyes even now that it must have been traumatic. My dad always talks about how the lightning, all night, was so intense that it seemed like day. Hiding in a cellar all night with neighbors. Seeing so much damage. Scary AF.

 

[UK 82]

I was in 8th grade. I watched it go through Northfield subdivision in Jefferson County from my neighbor's roof.

 

[wildcatdon]

Went right down our driveway and tore up my neighbor’s yard then crossed the street and went into Cherokee Park. I was 21 and scared as hell. Extensive damage in our neighborhood but no damage to our house or yard. God was with us that day.

 

[26MichaelUK]

Went right down our driveway and tore up my neighbor’s yard then crossed the street and went into Cherokee Park. I was 21 and scared as hell. Extensive damage in our neighborhood but no damage to our house or yard. God was with us that day.

Cherokee Park got destroyed right?

 

[wildcatwelder_rivals]

Remember it well, I was 12 at the time. We lived in a subdivision but our home didn't have a basement. We rushed over to our neighbor's who did have one, and I can remember seeing the tornado not a half mile from our home.

It wasn't long afterwards my parent's sold that home and bought one in the same subdivision, but with a finished basement.

 

[3_putter]

My family had a store that got destroyed in Madison County. They had someone bring a check to them a few days later that was found in a field in Montgomery County.

 

[Century Cat]

I was in 8th grade. I watched it go through Northfield subdivision in Jefferson County from my neighbor's roof.

Wow, I lived on Northfield Drive. Were scheduled to move in that weekend after but the tornado changed our plan. Ended up moving in later that year. What street did you live on?

 

[Rock_Cat78]

The link below was taken from the top of a dorm at EKU looking over Alumni Coliseum and down the EKU Bypass toward I-75.

https://images.app.goo.gl/x42QbUEuDdJBndvDA

 

[UK 82]

Wow, I lived on Northfield Drive. Were scheduled to move in that weekend after but the tornado changed our plan. Ended up moving in later that year. What street did you live on?

I watched from Graymoor subdivision off Herr Lane. My folks bought a house on the corner of Glenview and Harwood in Northfield but they couldn't sell our house so they sold it just a few months before the tornado struck. The house survived but many of the surrounding houses didn't.

 

[wildcatdon]

Cherokee Park got destroyed right?

Yes it did.

 

[The-Hack]

I spent half a night in a basement.

That day/night was bizarre in that it HIT EVERYWHERE in Kentucky, East, West, Central, city and country.

Brandonburg was damn near wiped off the map.

Freedom Hall got hit.

I saw a train taken off the tracks in the Moreland (Lincoln/Boyle) area:my Dad pointed out it had laid the Engine on its side!