Remembering 1932 Tornado Outbreak
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the March 21, 1932 tornado outbreak that killed 315 Alabamians. It still ranks as the deadliest tornado outbreak in our state’s history.
Tornadoes touched down during at mid-afternoon near Demopolis. This was followed a short time later by a tornado near Linden and Faunsdale. Then a major F4 tornado hit Northport, killing 37 people along the 20 mile path. Cullman County felt the fury next, as 18 people died around Phelan, Bolti, Berlin and Fairview.
The action shifted south next, with a disastrous tornado that killed 49 from Perry to Coosa County, hitting Chilton County hard. Columbiana was struck around 5:10 p.m., and 14 people died there. Another tornado paralleled the first Chilton County tornado, killing another 31 people. Near Plantersville, the Lathem family was nearly wiped out.
Around 7 p.m, the activity shifted back southwest, with a tornado touch down near Greensboro. Shortly after that, people cleaning up from the first Faunsdale tornado watched in disbelief as another tornado passed nearby.
A deadly tornado targeted Gantt’s Quarry in Talladega County and then hit Sylacauga just after 7 p.m. 29 people died there. A second tornado passed near Sylacauga about an hour later.
The event would hop to North Alabama, where deadly tornadoes skipped across Lawrence and Morgan Counties, then hit the Battle Ground area of Cullman county and finally wrapped up in a deadly way as a family of tornadoes killed 32 people mainly across rural Jackson County.
I am looking for people who are survivors or descendants of survivors of the event. If you know anyone who has knowledge of the tornadoes, either directly or through passed down stories, please email me at bill.murray@theweathercompany.com or call me at (205) 602-7249.
I am planning a special collection of stories on the blog the week of the anniversary. I will tell the story of the tragic day and some of the amazing people involved.
February 25th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
My grandfather was just a kid when the tornado came through Northport but it came extremely close to his house. He really didn’t like to talk about it because he said it traumatized the community but he did say he heard a great roaring like nothing he had ever heard before and that his ears popped when it passed by his home.
February 26th, 2007 at 12:35 am
This must be the tornado that my grandmother talked about. She use to live near Kentuck Park. Did the tornado follow up the river? I remember her saying something about it hitting or coming close to hitting the train trussel. She too said that it was really bad, she was probably 8 or 9 years old when it happened.
February 26th, 2007 at 6:50 am
My father talked about a tornado passing through the Hightogy Community (south of Vernon) in about this time frame. It destroyed both the Shiloh (Pinhook) Methodist Church and Mt. Harmony Freewill Baptist Church, as well as several houses and barns. Dad died in 2001, but my uncle is still living and might be able to help you. Dad talked most about how rebuilding brought folks together.
February 26th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Bill,
You spoke about the Lathem family. I know Jack Lathem, that is his family. He lost his entire family in that tornado, except for one brother, I think. I haven’t spoke to Jack in a long time. I have heard “through the grapevine” he is in poor health. He published a book about that tornado, I think it is called “Oh My God, A Cyclone”. I might not have the title of the book stated correctly, but he told me he titled the book that way because that was the last words he heard his father say before he died.
February 26th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Bill and Amy,
As a librarian here in Alabama I had to look up the title of Mr. Latham’s book. It is titled My God!! It’s a Cyclone and it was published in October 2005 by AuthorHouse books. It is also available at amazon.com for $17.99.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Bill:
My mother was carried off by the tornado in Paint Rock with her two sisters and their mother at approximately 7:25 PM on March 31, 1932. Grandma looked out a window, saw the tornado approaching and ordered eveyone under the front porch. As they ran to the front door, the house was destroyed. They landed together well away from the house. My grandfather wound up on a pile of brick that had been the fireplace, sans shoes. My grandmother sustained a dislocated hip, one of my aunts sustained a puncture wound from a flying nail, but otherwise they were blessed to have survived. My uncle was playing cards across town, never suspecting a tornado was destroying most of Paint Rock. He recalls looking at his watch: 7:25 PM. The town signal for an emeggency was two shotgun blasts. When this occurred, the man who fired the two rounds was terrified by what was happening and blew two holes in the ceiling of his porch, the only damage his house sustained!
March 8th, 2007 at 10:59 am
I worked with a lady (recently deceased) who told me the story of how her father died in a tornado in Sylacauga. She said he was working for the railroad or telephone company or something like that and was not at home. He was staying in a cabin in a work camp and was last seen alive going to look out the window. They found him in a tree.