TORNADO

Downtown
Some houses by Burnett's Mound
Washburn Campus

40 years ago an F-5 tornado hit Topeka. 16 peolpe lost thier lives. It did over $100 million in damages, the worst tornado up until that time in this respect. It is still the most devasteding event to hit a state capital. It could have been worst. It hit at supper time. This is credited with saving many lives. They said if it hit a different time many people would have time because they wouldn't have had the same warning. It cut the city in half from Burnett's mound to Billard Airport. The legend that Burnett's Mound would ave the city was prooved false. It was said that if a tornado came over the Mound it would just lift back in the side. It was also said that if something was built on the Mound the city would be cursed and a water tower had been recently build thier. The pictures above were from the folloing web site: http://www.tinyvital.com/Weather/StormChase/topeka66.htm . Let's hope we don't see this type of devastation here again. MAY GOD'S PEACE BE WITH YOU 'TIL NEXT TIME.-

LARRY KRATOCHVIL