Devastating St. Louis Tornados | Living St. Louis

Living St. Louis producer Jim Kirchherr takes a look back at three devastating tornados that tore through the city of St. Louis over the past century. In February 1959, a twister destroyed the area known as Gas Light Square, killing 21 and injuring 200. Former St. Louis Cardinals player, Joe Cunningham, recalls surviving this natural disaster that knocked down the KTVI television tower and tore the roof off of the old arena with great force. The 1959 tornado was reminiscent of one in 1927 and 1896.

[@doyleholloway1818]

i was born in st.louis and lived in north st.louis at 18th and madison street when the tornado struck... it sounded like a freight train coming over the flat that i lived in... four family flats across the street were torn apart... i was 19 years old... i remember roof slate and bricks scattered all over the streets...

[@billyalonzo406]

Such a sad moment in the history of St Louis

[@locopoko]

Thank you. This is great. Still feel amazed no one was hurt on Friday.

[@GassersGhost]

I have lived downtown for four years. I love it. It's clean, quiet, and safe.

[@kalissouri]

The intro information is incorrect; the intersection of Boyle & Olive which was noteworthy for all the antique & junk stores was not called Gaslight Square until AFTER the tornado. The land rush that started with the opening of the Crystal Palace & several other restaurants & bars transformed the antique row into the city's prime entertainment area. I moved to California in 1961 & returned here in 2007 only to discovered that wonderful Gaslight Square is now only a memory. Sad. No vision.

[@trailboyus66]

Does anyone remember the late Myrna Hansen? She was my neighbor when we bought a home in Salem in1973 Her husband Elmond passed away within weeks of buying their home. Myrna told me she was in a big tornado in St.Louis when she worked for Mercantile Bank. They came out of the rest room and all that was left was the bare floor. Myrna may have been in the 1927 one since she was at retirement age in 1973. I tend to think she was in the 1959 tornado. ???

[@badalou]

My sister inlaws had a laundry ar Boyle and Olive and my sister lived above the laundry. My mother and I lived above an antique store up the street. I moved to Los Angeles in 57. My sister said the tornado turn befor it hit their building but gor the building where I had moved from

[@theshowmecanuck]

@stltrainlover I'm from Canada and lived in STL for 6 years. I think it is a good city. I think it could be a great city. Too many of its own citizens talk it down. Concentrate on the things that other cities don't have. Like the best blues music in the country. Get the word out. I have met people from other countries who stopped on the way to Memphis and watched the bands and were blown away. Support your local blues man, and get rid of the stupid ban on street musicians.

[@kalissouri]

@burns268 Quiet? why would anyone move into a downtown area for quiet? Downtown used to be an area of excitement: Buses, Streetcars, Famous, Stix, Vandervorts, Boyd's, Lerner's, Kresge, & Woolworth's Stores, Lowe's State, Ambassador, American, & Orpheum Theatres, and people, people & people.