The Tornado of 1949
March 26, 1949
Written by Justin Lamb
“One of the most destructive tornadoes to hit Marshall County in many years swept across the south end section Saturday night,” reported the Tribune-Democrat on Friday, April 1, 1949. The small tornado destroyed two homes and demolished several other outbuildings and barns in the Hardin-Dexter area.
The tornado hit at 7:30pm on March 26. One farmer, J.A. Washam of Hardin, suffered serious injury when the storm blew down his chicken house and concrete blocks fell on him which resulted in a punctured eye, broken ribs, and several cuts and bruises.
John Walker suffered minor injuries when the chicken house he was sleeping in while watching over 200 recently hatched chickens was destroyed. “The chicken house is gone and chicks are running everywhere,” reported the Paducah Sun-Democrat.
The home of C.A. Chapman was demolished and completely leveled while he, his wife, three children, and a guest all slept. Everyone escaped without injury, but Chapman’s new Ford pick-up truck parked near the house had been swept away and turned over several times.
Many residents told of hearing of a loud roaring sound while others stated they thought the nearby train at Hardin was passing. When winds picked up, they realized what was happening.
The house of John Lee was picked up off its foundation and moved several feet. Several Mr. Lee’s outbuildings were destroyed. Just up the road, the tobacco barn of Kelzie Warren’s was leveled. Ten electric light poles were destroyed with several being uprooted and power was off for approximately five hours.
The tornado of 1949 was one of the most destructive tornadoes to hit Marshall County up to that time. However, its devastation would be surpassed by an F-4 tornado that hit the area fourteen years later in 1964 which resulted in the injuries of nearly twenty people and the deaths of two.