Monument located at Antlers Railroad Depot.
Pushmataha County Historical Society

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photo by Teresa Young

ANTLERS TORNADO

On April 12, 1945 at 5:30 p.m. a tornado first touched down southwest of town near the Hall community. At 5:45 p.m. one of the most devastating tornadoes in the history of the state struck the city of Antlers with a swath of nearly one-half mile wide. Entering at the southwest part of the city and going through to the northeast, destroying with few exceptions, every physical object in its path. A total of 86 people eventually died as a result of injuries received in the storm. A total of 343 people were injured, 379 homes were destroyed, 254 buildings were destroyed, 200 more homes and buildings were damaged, leaving 1500 people homeless. After leaving Antlers the tornado continued northeast until it struck the One Creek area then on to the Nashoba area and eventually near Wister and on into Arkansas.

Transcribed  by Teresa Young

Published in
Antlers American newspaper, April 19, 1945,
"Tornado Death Toll",
69 people are killed during the horror of tornado sweeping into our Pushmataha County

BARBEROUSSE, Sarah Delila
BLAN, Mrs. Martha
BRUCE, David
COLBERT, Mrs. Maude Ann
CONAWAY, Ben Jackson
CONAWAY, Mrs. Lula Jane
CRABTREE, Emma Harris
CRANFORD, Martha Carrol
COGBURN, Infant of Ernestene
DAY, Mark L.
EMBREE, Helen Jessie
FENNELL, Patricia Irene
FOREMAN, Mary Eula
GALLEGLY, Dennis Dixon
GIBSON, Alfred Price
GIBSON, Mrs. Mary Emily
GIBSON, Horace
GIBSON, Mrs. Ellen
GIBSON, Alfred J.
GIBSON, Tommy Earl
GIBSON, Edna Louise
GIBSON, Infant son of Mr. & Mrs. Tommy Earl
GILBERT, Richard Calvin
GILBERT, Delores Alice
HARKEY, Ida Mae
HAYES, Jack
HENSLEY, Mrs. Jessie
HENSLEY, Donald Robb
HOPKINS, Dora Frances
JONES, Lydia Levina
LEWIS, Pfc. Theodore
LEWIS, Silas
MADDUX, Floyd
McADAMS, Betty Lou
McCLURKEN, Judy
McINTOSH, Mandy
McLAUGHLIN, Georgia
McLAUGHLIN, John
MOSLEY, Anna Jewel
NASH, Viola
NELSON, Mrs. Herbert's mother
NELSON, Romie
NELSON, Mrs. Romie
PARKER, Morris Edgar
PARKER, Jewell
PILCHER, Irene
PILCHER, James Wilson
PILCHER, Norma Jean
POWELL, Juanita
RAY, Edward
REYNOLDS, Elsie Ray
REYNOLDS, Ray
REYNOLDS, Mrs. Tilda
SMITH, T. H. P. "Buck"
SPENCE, Ella Florence
SPENCE, Mary Lucille
SPENCE, Remona Lee
ST. CLAIR, Stella
ST. CLAIR, William
THOMAS, Mary Jo
TIMS, Hanna Mae
TURLEY, Lewis E.
TWADDLE, Alta
TWADDLE, Roy Lee
WALKER, Mrs. N. G.
WALKER, Mrs. Ola Oma
WELCH, Charley
WHEAT, Annie Brewer
WILKINS, Selina Noah

submitted by Teresa Young