: Businesses and homes destroyed.

Willard has three mobile home parks.  Almost as if by design, all three are on an east-west line in the path of the storm and all three were devastated.

At Briarwood Estates about 40 of the 60 homes were mangled; at Willard Mobile Home Park, 54 of the 74 were destroyed; and at Coble Village, 35 of the 36 places were absolutely razed.

Section of Briarwood Estates.  40 out of 60 homes were destroyed.

Close up detail of homes "mangled" at Briarwood Estates.

Willard Mobile home park.  54 out of 74 homes were destroyed.

"Destroyed" home detail at Willard Mobile home park.

Coble Village which was "absolutely razed" as described in the article.  35 out of 36 homes were destroyed.

Detail of "razed" homes in Coble Village.

At Conwell Avenue, the funnel veered north to rip off an estimated 11 acres of roof from the Donnelley plant while also scrambling 150 cars in the parking lot.

The winds, which ... [the local weather station] said were estimated at more than 300 miles per hour, blew down more homes and barns along Neal Zick Road, destroyed new homes and mobile homes on Route 598 just north of New Haven, and continued to do lighter damage all the way to Greenwich.  The tornado again lashed out in Savannah and destroyed many homes there.

Parking lot of R. R. Donnelley with "scrambled" cars.  109 cars were damaged and 134 totaled.

Damage on Route 598.  Neal Zick Road is at the top right corner.

An Attica observer said three homes had been hit there, one north of town and two west.  He said the storm appeared to stand still over Attica for a time.

While it was reported that a twister had hit Celeryville, that community was not hit at all, even with hail that could have been very damaging to crops and greenhouses.  

The storm was well publicized -- if that is the right word -- and it also moved so slowly from west to east that many people had a good view of the twister's action.  Some saw barn roofs and other objects flying high over head.  Some actually saw the wind hit specific places.

On Route 224 the tornado picked this whole barn up, moved it off its foundation, and then set it back down.

Battered remains of a home.

Several observers of the tornado said they saw two distinct funnels at various times and one report said that there were three.

The funnel changed shape constantly, now drawing up into the black cloud and then reforming.  When the funnel suddenly snaked down and hit the earth, debris could be seen flying up like dust hit by an air jet.

The tornado was the topic on the street for days and everyone had a version of how it acted.  People located as far apart as Celeryville and downtown Willard said the tornado looked as if it were "coming right toward me."

There was a tone of respect in their voices.