On this date 74 years ago, Alabamians experienced the worst tornado outbreak on record. On March 21, 1932, at least two waves of storms struck the state, producing at least 15 strong or violent tornadoes in which more than 300 people were killed. The single deadliest tornado in Alabama history occurred in this outbreak: a twister that killed 49 people on its 60 mile journey across Perry, Bibb, Chilton, Shelby, and Coosa counties.
One of the tornadoes that day rolled through parts of Dallas, Chilton, and Coosa counties, killing a number of people, including 7 members of one family in the community of Riderville, which in the southwest corner of Chilton County near Stanton and Plantersville. A surviving member of that family, Jack Latham, was featured in one of our stories this year for Storm Alert 2006. He was only four years old at the time, but his memory of the event is amazingly clear. Mr. Latham lost both parents and five brothers and sisters. All of the family members are buried at the Ebenezer Baptist Church cemetery at Stanton.
If you missed our Storm Alert tour this year and our story about the March 21, 1932 Alabama tornado outbreak, we are delighted to announce we will have a one hour special on ABC 33/40 this Sunday evening at 6:00 that will feature the Jack Latham story. We will also have great video features on “global warming” and the possible Alabama connection with Brian Peters and Dr. John Christy of the University of Alabama at Huntsville, the wild hurricane season of 2005 with Jason Simpson and Dr. Keith Blackwell of the University of South Alabama, and our new SkyCam network with John Oldshue and the gang from Stratus Station in Hamilton.
If you won’t be home, roll a tape or program the TIVO!
One of the tornadoes that day rolled through parts of Dallas, Chilton, and Coosa counties, killing a number of people, including 7 members of one family in the community of Riderville, which in the southwest corner of Chilton County near Stanton and Plantersville. A surviving member of that family, Jack Latham, was featured in one of our stories this year for Storm Alert 2006. He was only four years old at the time, but his memory of the event is amazingly clear. Mr. Latham lost both parents and five brothers and sisters. All of the family members are buried at the Ebenezer Baptist Church cemetery at Stanton.
If you missed our Storm Alert tour this year and our story about the March 21, 1932 Alabama tornado outbreak, we are delighted to announce we will have a one hour special on ABC 33/40 this Sunday evening at 6:00 that will feature the Jack Latham story. We will also have great video features on “global warming” and the possible Alabama connection with Brian Peters and Dr. John Christy of the University of Alabama at Huntsville, the wild hurricane season of 2005 with Jason Simpson and Dr. Keith Blackwell of the University of South Alabama, and our new SkyCam network with John Oldshue and the gang from Stratus Station in Hamilton.
If you won’t be home, roll a tape or program the TIVO!
on March 20, 2006, 10:38 pm
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