WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — Fifty years ago, an EF-4 tornado tore through West Bloomfield, leaving behind destruction, heartbreak, and memories that remain vivid today.
Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report:
The tornado claimed at least one life when a 15-year-old girl was killed on her way to a Sadie Hawkins dance.
"She was in the car, the car flipped over… landed, and killed her," Tom Bjorklund said.
Bjorklund, a volunteer with the Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society, says while there have been tornadoes in the area in the past, this one severely impacted the community.
"There were businesses, there were homes that were just plain destroyed. A fair number of them," Bjorklund said. "This is clearly the worst of the worst. It’s also interesting how much this event stuck with people in their minds."
At the Orchard Lake Museum, the historical society has preserved an extensive archive documenting the day that changed the community forever.
Frank Eory was 16 years old when the tornado swept through. He said the storm came without warning and was gone in the blink of an eye.
"Everything about it is vivid, even 50 years later," Eory said. "With so much devastation, it was unbelievable."
Eory remembers a pressure change, his ears popping, and windows shattering. He watched sparks and debris flying as part of his roof was removed.
"And it just clicked, and I said, 'tornado! hit the floor," Eory said.
Eory lives in Phoenix now, but he still remembers his old address, where Edith Root-Clark lives now.
"I think it puts me at ease in some respect knowing tornadoes may not hit in the same spot, so I’m safe from that," Root-Clark said.
"It looks a lot how I remember from the late 70s," Eory said.
Anup Sinha lived a few doors down and was 5 years old at the time. He remembers the devastation outside his front yard and shared an old photo of what it used to look like.
"It’s one of my earliest memories, and it’s quite a strong memory," Sinha said.
Both men count themselves lucky that things were not worse for them. They said the tragedy stuck with them, remembering the heartache in the aftermath but finding pride in how the community responded.
"It was quite heartwarming," Eory said.
"I never forgot it," Sinha said.
If you would like to see some of the old clippings, you can find the hours of operation for the Orchard Lake Museum on their website.
Check out these photos from their collection:
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