NORTH VERNON — If you think today’s weather is a problem, you will want to hear Sheila Kell’s class about the two major tornadoes that devastated Jennings County in the past.
Just as families were preparing to send their sons overseas to fight in World War I, during 1917, the skies opened and brought a world of devastation to Jennings County.
And again, in 1932, during some of the darkest days of the Great Depression, a tornado ripped through Jennings County bringing even more peril to the community.
Kell will use newspaper articles and other materials to tell the story of the two tornadoes from Jennings County history.
As the Jennings County Public Library genealogist, Kell frequently assists people in their search for historical information about their families and the community.
“Often people come in and ask why a building is this way or that way or why the community does something the way they do. Individual historical research often leads to the discovery of how events and places now forgotten affect our lives today,” said Kell.
Explaining why she chose the topic of the two tornadoes for the class, Kell added, “I have frequently run across information about these two storms. They both had a lasting effect on how Jennings County looks today and sometimes, still affect the way we do some things.”
The class will take place from 11 a.m. to noon Thursday in the Genealogy Room of the Jennings County Public Library in North Vernon.
The class is free and open to the public.
For more information, call the library at 812-346-2091 or email sheila.kell@Jennings lib.org
