I have heard stories of this tornado---well before my time----that some initially thought it had been some sort of attack related to the war. My dad, who was 12 when this occurred, told of seeing (or hearing of) a tree stump with a straw driven through it displayed in a shop window in Clarksburg afterward.
My Grandfather grew up in Gypsy West Virginia. Which as the crow flys Gypsy is aprox 2 miles south of Shinnston !! He would tell us stories about watching the Tornado rip thru Shinnston from his back porch!! That it was a mile wide and was so powerful it sucked the West Fork River dry!! That's some crazy powerful stuff!! I have an actual photo from june 1944 of Shinnston Pleasant Hill area the day after. Total destruction!! From what I understand if this twister would have hit a more populated area. Like Clarksburg or Fairmont, that it would have been an F5 100% !! And from what I have seen and heard. I believe it!!
I committed before it was over !! Haha 100% truth about the West Fork !! I have heard that several times over the yrs!! Truth if you ask me !! It's crazy how it's not talked about more. 130+ ppl died in the tri state area. It's was the 1st and only F4 to ever hit WV!!
I have heard stories of this tornado---well before my time----that some initially thought it had been some sort of attack related to the war. My dad, who was 12 when this occurred, told of seeing (or hearing of) a tree stump with a straw driven through it displayed in a shop window in Clarksburg afterward.
Wow! The stories about this are just amazing.
My Grandfather grew up in Gypsy West Virginia. Which as the crow flys Gypsy is aprox 2 miles south of Shinnston !! He would tell us stories about watching the Tornado rip thru Shinnston from his back porch!! That it was a mile wide and was so powerful it sucked the West Fork River dry!! That's some crazy powerful stuff!! I have an actual photo from june 1944 of Shinnston Pleasant Hill area the day after. Total destruction!! From what I understand if this twister would have hit a more populated area. Like Clarksburg or Fairmont, that it would have been an F5 100% !! And from what I have seen and heard. I believe it!!
I committed before it was over !! Haha 100% truth about the West Fork !! I have heard that several times over the yrs!! Truth if you ask me !! It's crazy how it's not talked about more. 130+ ppl died in the tri state area. It's was the 1st and only F4 to ever hit WV!!
It is so hard to believe a storm of this size hit West Virginia. The town weathered the storm well but it was quite horrible by any standard.