Violent Storm Hits County, Tolu Hit Hardest

The Crittenden Press, June 10, 1993.

June 4, 1993 – Violent Storm Sweeps County.  Tolu Hit Hardest.

When the skies began to darken over Tolu Friday morning, June 4, some residents of that community, did not think it would be different from any other storm.

However, in less than an hour one small community was almost literally turned upside down.

A storm, packing up to 95 mph winds, hail, lightening and heavy rains, that moved across the entire Crittenden County area, stuck it’s heaviest blow in Tolu, according to Tolu Volunteer Fire Department Chief Tony Alexander.

Alexander said state officials he had talked with have no doubt that it was a tornado that ripped through the Tolu area leaving behind massive amounts of debris, downed trees and structure damage. Residents there were left without electricity, water and telephone services.

One home in the community belonging to Myra Hamilton, has been declared a total loss by insurance adjusters.

Judge John May declared a state of emergency Friday and Alexander and other set up a command post and shelter for all of the county’s storm victims at Tolu Elementary School.

The shelter was the source of food and restroom facilities for victims and workers and was used as temporary housing for some.

Alexander and others, who were working near the Tolu community when the storm hit, had to use chain saws to cut a path though the downed trees blocking the roads to get into the community to survey the damage and help storm victims.

Noble Wright, a Tolu resident, who was a home said after the storm quieted that there are three streets here, and it looked like every one of them was covered in 15 to 20 feet of trees.

In addition to Tolu, the nearby Hebron community was also hard-hit, according to Alexander. The storm swept through the area and downed numerous trees of all sizes.

200-Year-old Tree Fell Victim to Storm  

Gene Brazell, said he lost one of the most important symbols of stability in his life. His home was not damaged by the storm, neither he nor his family were injured, but he lost a piece of history that is irreplaceable – a 200-year-old Cherry Bark Oak Tree. The tree was located on Brazell’s farm which reaches to the bank of the Ohio River.

I can’t describe the feeling I have about the loss of that tree, Brazell said. He said part of his sadness comes from the fact that the tree was on his farm when the nation began. Brazell found the tree while he was tending cattle when he was 18 years old. He said he continually visited the tree, and it was a place for him to go and relax.

The Kentucky Forestry Division determined the age of the tree to be around 200-year-old, and said it was by far the largest of its kind in Kentucky.