D13. The Worcester Tornado: June 9, 1953

Almost seventy years ago, a devastating tornado ripped through unsuspecting Worcester County, Massachusetts – far from Tornado Alley in the Midwest. Ninety-four people were killed in less than 90 minutes, in an incredibly violent experience that some compared to atomic war. Thirteen hundred were injured and 15,000 were left homeless. There followed a great humanitarian rescue effort by private citizens and first responders. The course will use slides, photos, videos, and selected readings to follow the path of the tornado as it moves through time and space. We will focus on eyewitness accounts of Worcester residents. Class members will be encouraged to share personal or family memories of the disaster.

INSTRUCTOR: David Nevard grew up in suburban Boston and has always been fascinated by history – especially World War II and the postwar era. He attended UMass-Amherst and worked as an IT professional for over 30 years. Since retirement, David has been an instructor at WISE and other area lifelong learning programs.

OPTIONAL BOOK: Tornado! 84 Minutes, 94 Lives, By John M. O’Toole, Chandler House Press; 1st edition (February 17, 1998), paperback ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0963627708, ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0963627704