44th Anniversary Memorial of the Palm Sunday Outbreak in Bristol, Indiana

[Bob Hartig]

I am not entirely sure this is the right place for this post, but I don't know where it would fit better. Mods, of course move it if you think of a better location.

Yesterday, at the Elkhart County Historical Museum in Bristol, Indiana, I attended the 44th memorial observance of the 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes. Since I've already provided a reasonably lengthy writeup in my blog, I'm not going to go in depth here. However, I thought I'd share one photo that I think many here will find of interest because it revolves around another, very famous tornado photo.

Anyone who is at all familiar with the Palm Sunday Outbreak has seen the horrendous, Pulitzer Award-winning photograph of the twin funnels straddling US 33 south of Elkhart, Indiana. The funnels were in the process of devastating the Midway Trailer Park when Elkhart Truth photographer Paul Huffman captured them on film from the distance of a quarter-mile.

You can see the famous image on the projector screen. The man standing next to the screen is Paul Huffman. I was elated to actually get to meet him after these many years. I had reason to think that he was no longer alive, but he is very much so, and while his hearing is poor, the man is nevertheless sharp as a tack and an interesting and humorous speaker.

 

[Melissa Jablonski]

Bob , I witnessed that tornado in Dulnap in Elkhart county Indiana . The photo is one of a series. The tornado looked briefly like a giant walking along both sides of the highway.It was as the Osage Indians believe the best representation of the ( dead man walking) I have ever seen.They believe if you see himin a tornado you're about to die.
fit I believe.Melissa

 

[Nick Smith]

I thought someone took some photos recently of that exact same spot to show how much that area has changed. I just can't remember what website they were on.

 

[Bob Hartig]

Roger Edwards wrote an article for his blog several years ago titled "Hallowed Ground in Indiana" that shows a photo of the old Midway grounds. Maybe that's what you're thinking about? I've visited the area myself and roamed the old trailer court, or what's left of it. An overpass has buried the part that was most affected by the tornado.

 

[mikegeukes]

NWS North Webster has some information on this event.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/iwx/program_areas/events/historical/palmsunday1965/index.php

Mike
Chaser Weather -another site of mine, for weather data.

 

[Nick Smith]

Here's a link to the paper written by Fujita (and Dorothy L. Bradbury and C. F. Van Thullenar) in 1970:

http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/...0.1175/1520-0493(1970)098<0029:PSTOA>2.3.CO;2

 

[John A. Sellers]

I try to vist the Palm Sunday Tornado Memorial each year.It is located in Dunlap,In. at the corner of CR46 and Cole St. in the SunnySide subdivison.I was in Knox,In. when it all started.