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April, 1956 tornadoes outbreak...
April, 1956 tornadoes outbreak...
Item # 721093
April 04, 1956
FITCHBURG SENTINEL, Mass. April 4, 1956
* April, 1956 tornadoes outbreak
* Grand Rapids, Michigan (F5)
* Lexington, Tennessee disaster
The front page has a five column headline: "45 Die As Tornadoes Sweep Mid-Continent" with subhead. Also another two column heading: "Broad section Of Town 'Gone With The Wind" with a few related photos. (see images)
Complete with 26 pages, light toning toning at t he margins, minor spine wear, generally nice.
AI notes: On April 3, 1956, a devastating tornado outbreak struck multiple regions of the United States, producing violent and destructive storms in both Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Lexington, Tennessee. In Grand Rapids and surrounding communities such as Hudsonville and Standale, a catastrophic F5 tornado carved a path over 50 miles long and up to 400 yards wide, killing 17 people and injuring more than 300, making it the last F5 ever recorded in Michigan. The tornado obliterated homes, businesses, and infrastructure, leaving entire neighborhoods flattened and sending debris flying for miles. Meanwhile, in Lexington, Tennessee, an F4 tornado tore through Henderson County, destroying dozens of homes and businesses, damaging hundreds more, and causing three fatalities along with roughly 60 injuries. The town’s central streets and residential areas were heavily impacted, prompting emergency relief efforts from the National Guard and Red Cross. Together, these two storms exemplify the intensity and reach of the April 2–3, 1956 outbreak, highlighting both the extreme power of tornadoes in the Midwest and the South and the vulnerability of communities in their paths.
Category: The 20th Century
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