Monticello, Indiana April 3, 1974
The following pictures are from the book "Killer Tornado" published by the Monticello Herald Journal. If you use any of the pictures or or text please give them credit. All photos are thumb nailed.
 

The book is Divided into 5 pages. the major headings are as following: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Moments after it Hit Business District Sustained Major Damage   Before After   Homes Destroyed   Students Continue Studies at Various Churches Shocked Residents Unite to Help Others   Monticello Homes Ravaged Years Needed to  Restore Town National Home Badly Battered   Churches, Cemeteries Ravaged Damaged Estimated at $100 Million   5 Killed in Mini-Bus Tragedy $500,000 Damage to Penn-Central Bridge Housing Addition  Nearly Leveled   Local Groups, Outsiders offered help to Victims. People organize Rescue, Search Operations Fort Wayne Girl Survives Van's Plunge Courthouse History Rich, Full Hickory Ridge Area in Tornado's Path   Officials Offer Help Homes, Churches, Schools, Businesses were touched by twister Savage winds Shreds Downtown Buildings 122-year-old  Bell Survives Many Left Homeless   People Pick up the Pieces   Local Businesses Give Evidence to Twister's Destructive Power   Courthouse Activities  move to National Guard Armory Farms Hit Monticelloan's Begin Salvage, Repair, Removal   Twin Lakes Totaled Schools Meet with  Disaster Downtown Monticello will Rise Again... Bigger, Better different and More Beautiful Than Ever Before

Students Continue Studies at Various Churches

Churches, Cemeteries Ravaged

Untied Methodist Church had broken windows, but was not seriously damaged.

Local Groups, Outsiders offered help to Victims.

Officials Offer Help

Senator Vance Hartke talks with Mayor Capper at an informative meeting for the citizens.

Citizens, City begin Slow Recovery

Monticelloans Begin Salvage, Repair, Removal

    Monticello's downtown business section, which bore the main thrust of last month's $100 million tornado, will rise again. .. bigger, better, different and more beautiful than ever before is the forecast made by the five-member Monticello Redevelopment Commission.
     In all, more than 40 business buildings were wiped out by the April 3rd tornado that swept through the downtown business section at 5:17 p.m. The buildings are now being razed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
     Rebuilding plans are on the drawing board at this time and the city very likely will emerge from last month's pile of rubble with a brand new look featuring trees, malls, interesting shops and ample off-street parking. The 'old' down-own area we all knew died on April 3, 1974.
     Monticello, born in 1834, and a fifth class city since 1909, has been the governmental seat for White County since 1834 and has prospered as a commercial center for nearly 140 years.
     Most of the 105 downtown buildings damaged by the tornado were of two-story, brick construction built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
     The shock of suffering through the April tornado has now worn off for most of us and downtown business building owners and tenants are pushing forward with their rebuilding plans.
     The panic has subsided. Everyone knows he has a great task ahead to get back into business and he will, too.
     The Monticello Redevelopment Commission is meeting almost daily in long sessions to develop new layout plans for the devastated 10-block downtown area.
     There remains a chance for Federal monies to pour into Monticello from Washington, however, nobody on the local level is sitting on his hands awaiting "sugar from  Uncle Sam." Monticello was built and has prospered through her own efforts since her birth without gratuities and she will emerge again as a strong commercial city with or without outside help.
     This is a rare opportunity for the downtown business area to emerge with a brand new look. Horrible as it was, the tornado has made the new look possible-and most necessary.
We all face a tremendous responsibility in rebuilding the very heart of Monticello into a bigger, better and more beautiful shopping area. .. and we will overcome.
     Despite rumors shortly after the tornado wrought havoc to the downtown business section of the city that many store owners and tenants would grab their insurance money and pull out for good, there now is a positive, optimistic attitude among them to get on with the rebuilding job.
    Cooperation among the many committees involved in the rebirth of the downtown area has been tremendous and is expected to continue on a positive note through the rebuilding phase.
     The White County courthouse, the 80' by 108' proud, old landmark built in 1894 in the very heart of the down- town area, was a heavy loser to the tornado and very likely will have to be razed. The dollar loss to the courthouse was estimated by engineers at $2 million.
     The optimists far out-number the pessimists here in Monticello during this critical period of razing and planning a new inner-city and that kind of high spirit should prevail throughout the redevelopment period.
Downtown Monticello will rise again. .. bigger, better, different and more beautiful than ever before.

The Publishers