History 21 The Podcast - 2.09 Fridley Tornado May 6, 1965
On May 6, 1965 a series of tornadoes hit the Twin Cities, including Fridley and Spring Lake Park in Anoka County. We talk with author Allen Taylor about what happened that night, how people learned of the danger, and why this weather became so devastating. Interspersed in this conversation, you’ll hear clips of WCCO’s award-winning radio coverage of the event that saved hundreds of lives.
Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Thank you to WCCO for permission to use their audio from that fateful night. Find WCCO’s “coverage of the Twin Cities tornado outbreak from 7:10 pm to 12:12 am with Charlie Boone, Dick Chapman, Chuck Lilligren and others” at RadioTapes.com
Allen Taylor
The Night the Sirens Blew: A Historical Account of the May 6, 1965 Twin Cities Tornadoes
“This book focuses on the two elements of informative, sometimes shocking accounts of the people who experienced and lived through those tornadoes and factual, documented information from a meteorological view. The result is a fantastic, interesting read that will promote the reader to respect the incredible power of nature’s most violent storm and heed the future warnings of these outbreaks.”
Hidden Revealed
In this book Taylor continues “to dig deeper into the slowly diminishing body of information that exists in current form. The greatest generation were able to overcome the total destruction of that night and rebuild their lives into better ones. Even though this group of witnesses are now in the age group of 50 - 100, there wasn't one person who will ever forget that night nor the presence of GOD that aided them. This book continues where the last book ended, with new, revealing data that shows how historic and strange these monumental storms were.”
Fridley Historical Society
The Fridley Historical Society was founded in 1985 for the purpose of saving Fridley District 23 School from demolition. This historic schoolhouse is located adjacent to Hayes Elementary School. Fridley is the only community in Anoka County to have its own local museum—the Fridley History Center. In 1987, the Fridley Historical Society leased the Common School District #23 School at 611 Mississippi Street for use as a historical museum, saving it from demolition.
On display
A redesigned 1965 Tornado Display illustrating the destruction and our resilience in the aftermath.
See the exhibit May 14 and May 28 11a.m. to 3 p.m.
Check museum website for further open hours
Vault Extras
Listen to Al Taylor’s full interview which includes more detail about the 1965 tornadoes but also the history of tornadoes in Minnesota.
One of the tornadoes captured on May 6, 1965.
Fridley Junior High art classroom.
The remains of a home destroyed by the tornadoes on May 6, 1965. Address unknown.
Unidentified woman looking through debris after May 6, 1965 tornadoes.
Unidentified trailer park, damage from the tornadoes on May 6, 1965.
Aerial shot of the damage sustained by a neighborhood during the 1965 tornadoes.
Anoka County Library Minute
Further Reading:
The Night the Sirens Blew by Allen W. Taylor (977.6579 TAY) and Hidden Revealed by Allen W. Taylor (977.6579 TAY)
First, we start with the books published by this episode’s guest. These books provide first-hand eyewitness accounts, photos of the wreckage, as well as useful and interesting additional info and resources to explore.
In this reference collection book, users can experience the story of the 1965 tornadoes via photos from the time. First published in 1965, this book takes on a unique “of-the-moment” quality, while other books look at the events from a more historical perspective.
Storms: tales of extreme weather events in Minnesota by Martin Keller (551.69776 KEL)
If you’re interested in more than just tornadoes, check out this book from the Minnesota Series. It covers all kind of extreme weather events that have taken place in the state, including floods, winter storms, and more.
November’s Fury: the deadly Great Lakes hurricane of 1913 by Michael Schumacher (917.704 SCH)
This book details the winter storm so strong, its wind force could be classified as a hurricane! The storm took place over several days, covering Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. It killed hundreds of people and sank or crippled dozens of ships.
Adventures in Tornado Alley: the storm chasers by Mike Hollingshead (551.553 HOL)
In this primarily pictorial work, you can gaze at nature’s mighty wonders from the safety of your living room. Stunning full page photos of tornadoes taken by storm chasers adorn the pages of this book.
So Terrible a Storm: a tale of fury on Lake Superior by Curt Brown (910.452 BRO)
The Star Tribune’s Minnesota History columnist tells the story of the tragedy that led to the building of Split Rock Lighthouse. Corporate greed turns out to be no match for the fury of this late November storm in 1905.
Tornadoes! By Dreamscape children’s videos (DVD E551.553 TOR)
In this educational film for young kids based on Gail Gibbons’ children’s book of the same title, kids will learn about the science of tornadoes, how they’re classified and perhaps most importantly, what to do when one is nearby.
How to Survive a Tornado by Marne Ventura (J613.69 VEN)
We know that tornadoes can be a dangerous phenomenon. Help your child feel empowered and prepared with this survival guide. Chapters are devoted to learning about the risks, making a good plan in case you end up in a tornado’s path, and creating a kit of survival supplies.
National Geographic Kids database
This is an online resource available to ACL cardholders via anokacountylibrary.org. The resource provides access to magazines, books, and images geared towards 6-14-year-olds.
Search “tornadoes” and there are a lot of digitized books that cover tornadoes, weather, and similar topics.