From the Crystal Lake Historical Society:
Sixty years ago today, a tornado tore through Crystal Lake ripping up homes in Colby’s Subdivision behind the Crystal Lake Plaza, going through the shopping center across Route 14 into the Goss farm, now Coventry Subdivision.
How strong were the winds?
Ron Goss, son of the farm’s owner, who was killed by the storm, told me he found a straw that penetrated a tree on the farm.
If you drive through Colby’s, you will see some two-story homes.
The original ones were ranches and people enlarged their damaged homes when they rebuilt them.
Here are memories captured by the Northwest Herald on the 50th Anniversary:
Brenda Reuff observes in the video at about 1:24: “The goodness of the people was amazing.”
One Com Ed employee was at its headquarters on Route 31 north of Route 176. He said, “It was just jumping [from place to place].” He heard a man from Island Lake telling him he way the bottom of the lake, “like Moses parting the water.”
My sister Ellen was at the Methodist Church for confirmation. People sheltered in the basement.
1965 Palm Sunday Crystal Lake Tornado Look Back Sunday, Sixty Years Ago Today | Dailywise
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