April 11, 1965, is burned into the memories of many Hoosiers,
especially those who are Elkhart County residents. An advancing
cold front, coupled with just the right Jet Stream, resulted in
what was then known as the worst disaster in the state’s history.
Between 5:15 and 5:40 PM CST on this Palm Sunday, three
tornadoes, ranking as F4, although some say they were F5 on the
Fujita Scale, struck Dunlap. Tornadoes also touched down in several
other locations in Elkhart County, leaving a total count of 31
fatalities and 252 injured. Although this tornado outbreak affected
the entire state, Elkhart County took the brunt of it.
The Forsythe family lived in the Sunnyside subdivision in
Dunlap. Not only did they lose their home, but also lost their son
in the storm. The family never rebuilt on their lot and it remained
vacant for years.
Several years ago, the Forsythes and other Sunnyside survivors
decided to put the lot to good use. A small memorial park
commemorating the lives of the victims was established, complete
with memorial markers and a flower garden.
This cache is dedicated to the memory of those who perished on
this day and to hopefully inspire respect for the Mighty Whirlwind.
As you visit, please take time to remember.
The Tornado Project states on its website Indiana ranks 8th in
killer tornadoes each year.
To verify this as a valid log, please e-mail me with the name
and age of the Forsythe son who perished. The answer is at the
site. DO NOT POST WITH YOUR LOG!