Photos and text from various articles in The Portsmouth Daily Times, April 24 - 27, 1968.
A few minutes after 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 23, 1968, a funnel cloud, generating wind estimated at more than 110 mph, touched down in the Sunshine community near South Shore, Kentucky, then swept northeast through the Kentucky hills across the Ohio River, cutting a 2,500 foot wide swath through Wheelersburg.
In a few minutes it claimed 7 lives, injured 75, and caused more than $2 million in property damage.
The storm smashed 69 dwellings and 28 barns, and damaged 476 other buildings. Several hundred trees were shattered or uprooted, and miles of electric power and telephone lines fell as supporting poles were bowled over.
Every ambulance in the area was used to transport the injured to Portsmouth's hospitals. Fire departments rushed men and equipment to the scene. Governor James A. Rhodes dispatched Ohio National Guard units and Ohio Highway Patrol officers to assist with the massive rescue operation and safeguard property.
Damage at the Scioto County Airport at Minford was estimated at nearly $20,000 to 10 planes. Four of the planes were damaged beyond repair.
According to Roy Looft, Scioto Airport Manager, "The clocks stopped at 3:30 and the electricity went out. The storm lasted about 20 minutes."
About half of the trees in the popular Airport Grove picnic-recreation
area were uprooted.
A Minford man, Selca Cordle, was injured when the barn in which he was seeking shelter from the storm collapsed on top of him. Mr. Cordle lived on Kentucky Trail.
A steel tower carrying the 138,000 volt transmission line feeding Portsmouth from South Point ws twisted like an egg beater and fell in a mass of steel scrap on Dogwood Ridge.
In Wheelersburg, the velocity of the wind blew 11 train cars off the track. Ten overturned, and one landed in a ditch.
At 6:30 a.m. on April 24, 1968, search parties were organized and combed the wreckage throughout the area for possible missing persons. Passes were issued to residents of the area to keep sightseers and looters out of the area. A curfew was established from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Beds and a cafeteria were set up in the gym of Wheelersburg High School to serve rescue workers and homeless families.
To help the residents of Wheelersburg, the American Red Cross set up disaster headquarters at Wheelersburg Elementary School. The Red Cross later moved to the Wheelersburg Masonic Temple Building. For residents outside of the Wheelersburg area, the Red Cross set up headquarters at 1032 Kinney's Lane, in Portsmouth.
Linda Underwood - 15, was killed when her house was lifted off its foundation and blown about 50 feet across the road.
Walter Ackerman - 68, died in the emergency room at Mercy Hospital.
Mary Adkins - found dead in her damaged home
Clyde Avery - killed at Tony Boll's Farm Supply Center. Dead on arrival at Harrison Funeral Home in Wheelersburg.
Joe Chatfield - killed at Tony Boll's Farm Supply Center. Dead on arrival at Harrison Funeral Home in Wheelersburg
George Lambert - 85, died at Scioto Memorial Hospital.
Anna Lou Armstrong - 25, killed at her brother's home (brother was Dave Litteral).
