Tornadic Events

[dbacks fan]

I am looking for some infomation from long time residents as myself that remember when there was a tornatic storm that came through Tulsa and took the roof off of KELI at the Fairgrounds. I know it was not the June 8th storm that hit Brookside and then KTEW Channel 2, I want to say it was spring of 1973, as I was a 10 year old hanging the numbers on the scoreboard at Reed Park, and my dad was the park manager for the Pony/Colt baseball league.

[waterboy]

There was a cluster of tornadoes that swept through Tulsa in May of 1973. I had just graduated college and moved back to Tulsa. My wife and I spent time hiding behind a mattress propped up against the closet door.  The storms were moving across the city from the SW (usual) and seemed on a direct course towards our house near Admiral and Harvard. Then they moved farther south and IIRC did some damage at the fairgrounds and east tulsa around 31st & Garnett. Took roofs off and hit a theatre.

I do miss the spaceship building that KELI had on the fairgrounds.

[DolfanBob]

That would be about the right timeline. I was in High School and was at a friends house for a party. The house was around 24th and 129th E Av. Being young and Du.. not so bright. I climbed up on the roof of the house so I could see the storm better. I got what I was looking for. The Plaza 3 Theatre was hit and half of the structure caved in. The Gas station out front also was damaged and the pumps caught on fire. I watched a full size van roll across the parking lot like a toy. The wind was so strong I could not walk back down the roof so I had to belly slide all the way down and fall off. Nice shingle burns all over my stomach and chest.
I saw the tail of it lift up from the 31st and Garnett area and sit down at 21st and 129th E Av area and do the above mentioned damage. What a day.

[Weatherdemon]

The June 8, 1974 tornadoes are the only ones that seemed to be in that area. I can't find anything that specifically mentions KELI or the Fairgrounds.

Here is a link that discusses several Tulsa tornadoes but still nothing on KELI and its roof.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/media/tsa/tribune/summer04.pdf

[Conan71]

That may have been the storm that took the roof off the Pavillion.  IIRC, they had a circus scheduled at the Pavillion and roof repairs forced a move over to the speedway.  I just can't recall if that was 1971 or 1973, those are the two years that are sticking with me.  Anyone remember what year they tore down the old KELI studio? 

http://tulsatvmemories.com/tulradi2.html

I read around and can't find anything on the tornado damage at the fairgrounds, so I guess it's up to memories of the posters here

[Conan71]

That would be about the right timeline. I was in High School and was at a friends house for a party. The house was around 24th and 129th E Av. Being young and Du.. not so bright. I climbed up on the roof of the house so I could see the storm better. I got what I was looking for. The Plaza 3 Theatre was hit and half of the structure caved in. The Gas station out front also was damaged and the pumps caught on fire. I watched a full size van roll across the parking lot like a toy. The wind was so strong I could not walk back down the roof so I had to belly slide all the way down and fall off. Nice shingle burns all over my stomach and chest.
I saw the tail of it lift up from the 31st and Garnett area and sit down at 21st and 129th E Av area and do the above mentioned damage. What a day.

I think that sounds more like the Dec. (5th?) 1975 tornado that hit around that area.

[dbacks fan]

Found it. It was June of '72, actuall touchdown was 23rd and Braden just west of Hoover Elementary.

http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/19720627.40.22

[dbacks fan]

That would be about the right timeline. I was in High School and was at a friends house for a party. The house was around 24th and 129th E Av. Being young and Du.. not so bright. I climbed up on the roof of the house so I could see the storm better. I got what I was looking for. The Plaza 3 Theatre was hit and half of the structure caved in. The Gas station out front also was damaged and the pumps caught on fire. I watched a full size van roll across the parking lot like a toy. The wind was so strong I could not walk back down the roof so I had to belly slide all the way down and fall off. Nice shingle burns all over my stomach and chest.
I saw the tail of it lift up from the 31st and Garnett area and sit down at 21st and 129th E Av area and do the above mentioned damage. What a day.

As Conan mentioned this was 12/5/75

[waterboy]

Storm memories kind of run into each other. I do remember the 12/5 storm as I was in a Fiat 124 Sport convertible driving home on 244. Got pelted with golf ball size hail and had to drive on the shoulder to get to the exit cause people were parking under the overpasses!