BUNKER HILL, Ill. – Bunker Hill, Illinois is a small town with a rich history — and you can't tell that history without pausing to remember March 19, 1948. On that day, an F4 tornado ripped through Bunker Hill, killing 19 people and injuring more than 100. The National Weather Services estimated approximately 80 percent of the city was destroyed.
"It was very bad, very bad, it wiped out almost everything," said Marty Lane.
Lane, is the president of the Bunker Hill Historical Society. The city's museum has more than 1,000 photos that tell the story of that horrific day.
"Everyone has a story. People say 'Where were you when it happened?'" Lane said.
Herman Landreth, 92, rode out the storm with his pregnant wife in his dining room. He was 22-years-old at the time and said he was eating breakfast when the tornado touched down.
"When things started flying, my ears popped, I leaned over and turned the oil heater off so it wouldn't start a fire," said Landreth.
His house was heavily damaged, but it was the only one left standing on his block. Two of his sisters-in-law who lived nearby were both killed. His brother and three nephews all had broken bones.
"My brother had his leg broken above the knee, which they had to amputate in a week or so because it was getting gangrene," Landreth said.
For Landreth it's a memory that feels decades old.
"It seems like a long time ago."
For others, it's hard to believe another anniversary is here.
"People say 'Gosh, that was 70 years ago. It doesn't seem like 70 years,'" said Lane.
