Can you imagine a third of your town being destroyed within a matter of minutes? That’s what happened to the small, close-knit community of Pryor, Oklahoma on April 27, 1942. At approximately 5:00 p.m. local time, an EF4 tornado swept through the main business district of town and the residential section, demolishing 500 buildings, killing 52 people and injuring 350 others. As if the tornado wasn’t bad enough, the town was hit with torrential rains that left knee-deep water in town – halting rescue and cleanup efforts.

Let’s take a look back to that terrifying day in 1942:

The tornado struck the town of Talala before it hit Pryor. The Talala residents reported that the tornado didn't have the usual funnel, but by the time it reached Pryor there was a definite funnel.
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Main Street before the tornado struck.
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Within minutes, the street was demolished and looked like a war zone.
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Main Street sustained the worst of the damage.
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The town's two hospitals were also destroyed.
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Victims were transported by shuttle train to Vinita for medical attention.
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The town was put under martial law, but because the National Guard was activated due to World War II, state troopers were sent in to maintain order.
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Not only was the business district hit, but the residential section of town was taken out.
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This mobile home was flipped upside down, as they so easily do in tornadoes.
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The caption says it all, "Main Street - A Jumbled Mess of Wreckage."
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The town grocery store, Safeway, was unrecognizable.
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All the cars at the Chevrolet Garage were demolished.
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The local Baptist Church was left without a house of worship.
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Those unharmed quickly gathered together to rescue the injured and recover those who lost their lives.
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Those who lived through this terrifying day will never forget the tragedy and devastation that occurred.
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We are thankful for the advancements in weather forecasting, but this tornado is a good reminder to take them seriously. For additional photos of the disaster, visit the Pryor Public Library’s online gallery.

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