1953 — Dec 5, F4 Tornado, especially Vicksburg, Warren County, MS — 38

— 38 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 326 & 976.
— 38 Historical Marker Database. “1953 Tornado Memorial (Vicksburg, MS).”
— 38 NWS WFO, Jackson, MS. NWS Jackson, MS – December 5, 1953 Vicksburg Tornado.
— 38 NWS. Twenty-four Deadliest Tornadoes in Mississippi 1950-2005. Jackson, MS WFO.
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Narrative Information

Grazulis: “LA-MS DEC 5, 1953 1745 38k 270inj 500y 7m F4. MADISON, LA / WARREN, MS–Moved ENE across the south side of Vicksburg. At least 26 businesses were destroyed, and 200 were damaged. A theater full of people was destroyed, and many children were killed. Seventeen industrial plants were torn apart, 275 homes were destroyed, and 300 were damaged. $25,000,000.” (Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 976.)

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Jackson, MS:
“By the Numbers

Began: Around 5:31 PM just west of the Mississippi River in E. Madison Parish
Reached Downtown: Around 5:35 PM
Ended: Around 5:40 PM NNE of Vicksburg, E of Washington Street/Old U.S. 61
Deaths: 38
Injuries: 270
Path length: 7 miles
Maximum path width: 500 yards
People left homeless: 1,200
Cost of damage in 1953 Dollars: $25 million
Estimated adjusted for inflation cost in 2013 Dollars: Over $200 million

“Tornado Summary

“Warm December Saturday Afternoon

“December 5th fell on a Saturday in 1953. Weather conditions were unseasonably warm for that time of year, with temperatures beginning the day in the lower 50s, about 10 to 15 degrees above normal. Clouds filled most of the sky, but there were occasional peeks of sun. There was a breezy and occasionally gusty southeasterly wind. Sustained winds were measured as high as 17 miles per hour before noon at the U.S. Weather Bureau office in downtown Vicksburg, which was located in the old courthouse and post office building at the corner of Crawford and Monroe streets at the time.

“Throughout the day, many Vicksburg residents were out enjoying the relatively warm early December weather. Christmas shopping was a popular activity at the numerous downtown shops and stores. Outside of the stores, Christmas decorations lined the streets. Periodic light rain showers wet the streets during the late morning and early afternoon hours. The showers weren’t enough to preempt an afternoon parade that was held downtown. The parade was a prelude to a charity football game to be held that night as a benefit for Leo Puckett, a talented Jett High School football player. Puckett sustained a spinal injury during a September football game, leaving him paralyzed. Several members of the community wanted to hold the benefit to help pay for his medical bills. Unfortunately, the game would not take place that night.

“During the day, a warm front lifted northward across the region, with temperatures rising to 72 by mid-afternoon. In addition, the dewpoint reading at the Vicksburg Municipal Airport rose from the 40’s that morning to almost 70 behind the warm front. In the increasingly moist and unstable airmass south of the front, thunderstorms developed across central Louisiana during the day, moving northeastward. In the upper atmosphere, wind shear was also strengthening, making conditions more favorable for tornadoes. In fact, the U.S. Weather Bureau’s Severe Local Storms Unit issued a severe weather bulletin at 1:30 PM indicating that “tornado-producing conditions” would exist in an area between Tyler, Texas, Little Rock, Arkansas, Clarksdale, Mississippi, and Monroe, Louisiana. Sure enough, around 4 PM a tornado developed north of Ruston, Louisiana and tracked 8 miles through the town of Spearsville, Louisiana, injuring 16. Beginning a pattern that would continue into the early evening, another tornado developed just a bit farther east about an hour later. This storm left a 60 mile long path of damage that extended from northeast of Monroe, Louisiana near Spencer, Louisiana into southeast Arkansas. You can read more about this storm by clicking the “Beekman-Montrose Tornado” link at the top of this section.

“Then around 5:30 PM, the pattern repeated once again. A storm moving northeastward across eastern Madison Parish produced a tornado just west of the Mississippi River. Because it occurred in a sparsely-populated area, there is some uncertainty with respect to the exact location where the tornado first touched down. However, some accounts of the storm do indicate that damage occurred just west of the river in Louisiana.

“….The tornado crossed over the Mississippi River bridge, moving across the river to the southern tip of DeSoto Island, where it downed several trees. As the tornado crossed the Yazoo Diversion Canal, it met one of its first victims, a fisherman. His car was later found on Levee Street, and days later his boat was found along the Mississippi River near Port Gibson, but sadly he was never found.

“Direct Hit. Not only did the tornado survive the trip across the Mississippi River, it apparently become stronger as it moved through the industrial area along Levee Street southwest of downtown. Significant damage occurred along the Vicksburg railroad and at businesses such as the Union Compress and Warehouse Company, the Valley Gin, the Levee Street Foundry and Machine Works, the Vicksburg Transfer Company, and the P.P. Williams Company. The tornado then began to move uphill from the river toward the downtown area, demolishing several small shacks as it moved across Pearl Street, Veto Street, and Mulberry Street on its way into the central business district.

“Residents in downtown Vicksburg were caught completely off guard by the tornado as it began to plow into the heart of town. Many heard the storm coming just mere moments before it arrived, and made a last ditch attempt to run into the back of buildings or basements for safety. As the tornado moved across South Street, one eyewitness says the Farmer’s Tractor Supply Company “just exploded right in front of my face”. The company’s owner lost his life. In the same block, several businesses were hit along Washington Street, most notably Mississippi Hardware and Ben Warren’s Clothing Store. Those two buildings almost completely collapsed, trapping several individuals including many who were seeking shelter in the basement at Mississippi Hardware. Two lives were lost at Ben Warren’s Clothing Store, including a daughter of the owner.

“Crossing Crawford Street, severe damage continued to occur at the numerous businesses along Washington Street including the Sports Shop, Palermo’s Mens Shop, and at the S.H. Kress Dime Store. Two died at Palermo’s, including a customer and the son of the owner. A block to the east, the tornado damaged St. Paul Catholic Church. Though the historic building was not leveled by the tornado, the structure was later determined to be unsound and had to be rebuilt. The tornado continued across Clay Street causing damage at First National Bank, the Jefferson Davis Hotel, and Hotel Vicksburg. At the Strand Theatre, there was a partial wall and roof collapse. However, it was another downtown theatre that would serve as the setting for a tragedy.

“Tragedy at a Birthday Party. Stephanie Mitchell’s 10th birthday was on December 5, 1953, and her sister would also have a birthday in the coming days. To celebrate the occasion, the girls’ parents, George and Lillian Mitchell, took their daughters along with a group of friends to the Saenger Theatre to see the movie “Botany Bay” starring Alan Ladd, James Mason, and Patricia Medina. After dropping off some of the partygoers, George returned home while Lillian, who was seven months pregnant at the time, stayed at the theatre. The Saenger, which was located at 1209 Walnut Street at that time, was directly in the center of the tornado’s path. Before the tornado hit, the power flickered and eventually went off. Then light suddenly reappeared in the large theatre as a wall collapsed, bringing the screen down along with it. The ceiling collapsed as well, trapping several people under their seats and debris. Sadly five children died at this location, each under the age of 10. Included in that count were two sisters….

“Tornado Continues Northeast. The deadly twister continued north across China Street, wrecking the Keith Williams Chrysler-Plymouth dealership, then northward across Grove Street, where another fatality occurred. The storm crossed Monroe Street clipping the Old Courthouse before hitting the Happyland Nursery, where two toddlers lost their lives. Yet another fatality occurred as the tornado crossed Cherry Street near the intersection with Main Street. At this point, the Joe Wing Sing grocery store was demolished about two blocks outside of the tornado’s main damage path at the corner of Openwood Street and Farmer Street. It is believed this may have been a satellite tornado which developed on the periphery of the main cyclone.

“Farther north, tremendous damage occurred in a residential area on the north side of the city. Many homes along Adams Street, Randolph Street, Fayette Street, Jefferson Street, Locust Street, and the surrounding areas were completely leveled. At least three deaths occurred in this neighborhood, including a mother and daughter. The tornado then moved into the western portion of the Vicksburg National Military Park. As it crossed Confederate Avenue, considerable damage occurred from the Fort Hill area eastward to the observation tower that once stood on that side of the park. Residences were then damaged along Union Avenue, also in the park. As the tornado exited the park, it moved into the Waltersville community. Along Sherman Avenue, 17 homes and a church were destroyed. A man died at this location, possibly the last life taken by the storm as it moved northward into a more rural wooded area and dissipated.

“All told, 38 lives were lost in the tornado and at least 270 more were injured along the seven mile path of devastation. Around 25 million dollars of damage were done by the storm. Victims were trapped in several downtown buildings for hours, and some into the following day. Downtown Vicksburg would never look the same again….” (NWS WFO, Jackson, MS. NWS Jackson, MS – December 5, 1953 Vicksburg Tornado.)

Historical Marker Database. “1953 Tornado Memorial (Vicksburg, MS).” List of fatalities:

Harlan L. Fried age 3
Robert Stanley Glatt age 9
Brenda K. Thornell age 7
Joyce Lee Barfield age 7
Lawrence Paul Paine age 30
Nicholas F. Cassino, Sr. age 59
Mrs. Callie Townsend Tingle age 76
Ples G. Hester age 34
Silver Powell age 7
Abraham Smith age 77
Rosa Lee Bentley age 54
Nathaniel Brown age 23
Claudia Mae Varnado age 55
Squire Harris age 64
Nellie Nelson age unknown
David Ford age 35
Jack Tohill Sr. age 57
Roosevelt Brown age 35
G.E. Lowery age 53
Lindsey Groves age 2
Alvin E. Harwood age 9
C. Lorraine Thornell age 5
Jack Palermo age 18
L.M. Langran age 48
Mrs. W.L. Ingle age 51
Kay Warren age 17
Exo C. Evans age 39
Susie Hebron age 80
Harry Dillard age 74
Agnes Martin age 23
Alonzo Wright age 56
Joseph Winn age 22
Emma Pearl Johnson age 6
Louis Williams age 72
Herbert Bloch age 79
Regine Jacob age 88
Letitia Walls age 66
David Martin age 53.”

Sources

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

Historical Marker Database. “1953 Tornado Memorial (Vicksburg, MS).” Accessed 5-12-2023 at: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=163000

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Jackson, MS. NWS Jackson, MS – December 5, 1953 Vicksburg Tornado. Accessed 5-12-2023 at: https://www.weather.gov/jan/1953_vicksburgtornado

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Jackson, MS. Twenty-four Deadliest Tornadoes in Mississippi 1950-2005. Jackson, MS: NWS WFO, NOAA, January 18, 2006 update. Accessed at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jan/TorStats/24DeadliestTors.php