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Keeler-Hartford Area Survives Storm
5-21-2004
Storm hit about 12:00 noon.
Started taking photos at 1:15 p.m.
Story and original photos taken by Emma Thornburg Sefcik, Webmaster
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Storm strikes Hartford-Keeler area. Someone from Keeler called the radio
station and reported seeing the tornado. Electric power was off in some of the rural
areas up to 5 days....most phone service was uninterrupted. Several
damage done down Territorial Road in Keeler easterly toward CR681, then down
CR681 toward Hartford area....lots of downed trees, but not much structural
damage. No injuries reported in our immediate area. Toward
Benton Harbor, St Joe, and Coloma was more serious. Although newspaper
accounts state that this was not a tornado...after seeing the damage, it's
hard to believe it wasn't. |
1:15 p.m. - 60th St.
Several poles pushed by storm |
Poles completely downed across road |
CR681 between Hartford and Keeler. |
Numerous trees were downed
in same area of CR681 |
Same area of CR681
at Agreeable Acres farm. Small shed-type building in front of barn destroyed
with debris scattered across the road. House and barn appeared
undamaged. |
Looking south past the Agreeable Acres
farm house and barn on CR681. Downed trees made the road impassible.
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Road blocked in front of Agreeable Acres
farm. Pieces of metal from the small building was blown across the
road.
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Huge trees snapped in the wind.
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These next 5 photos are
on CR681, Keeler Twp. |
About 8 huge trees were destroyed
by the storm in this same area. |
The mere size of the tree was a chilling
site. |
Snapped like toothpicks. |
Front yard of folks living on CR681, in
Keeler Twp., not far from Territorial Rd. intersection. The house and
building were not hit. |
Abandoned house on 72nd Ave depicts the most
serious structural damage in the area. |
Downed trees were just past the abandoned
house, making 72nd Ave impassible.
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A continuous row of about 6 trees were
uprooted along 72nd Ave. Trees were along side of the road and fell
back into the woods. |
The monstrous size of these trees was
irrelevant to the storm .... laying 5 of them all over like saplings. |
This was the most serious damage done in
Hartford on Main Street. |
Tree fell on back part of house and garage at
corner of Red Arrow Hwy and 66th Avenue west of Hartford. |
Downed tree in the subdivision west of
Hartford.
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Click on any
photo to slightly enlarge for better viewing.
Photos by Emma Thornburg Sefcik
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