Stones River visitors, passers-by take shelter in basement of visitor's center.
By MEALAND • RAGLAND-HUDGINS • April 11, 2009
Park Ranger Jim Lewis was shocked Friday when he stepped out of the visitor’s center at the Stones River Battlefield and saw a funnel cloud coming toward him.
“It was headed right this way,” he said, describing the path of Friday’s tornado.
Lewis said about 50 to 60 people took shelter in the basement of the center when word of the tornado was sent out. Some had been at the Murfreesboro Greenway, but many pulled over just to seek shelter.
“People were frantic, especially the ones who had kids at day care,” he said.
The winds toppled wooden fencing and several trees at the battlefield. Power lines were also down. The stretch of Old Nashville Highway in the immediate area was closed for some time because a tree was in the road. Siding from buildings was strewn about the fields but none of it from the visitor’s center, Lewis said.
“All the debris you see came from that way,” he said, motioning toward the West Park subdivision. “You can look at the trees and tell exactly which way it came. It crossed Old Nashville and hit some trees over there. We’ll be busy for a while getting everything cleared out.”
Immediately after the storm, lines for gas at the Texaco Food Mart at the corner of Thompson Lane and Robert Rose Drive were steady. Several pumps were shut down because the storm knocked out some of the computer systems to them. As customers waited their turn, they swapped suggestions on the best way to reach their destinations, since traffic was congested across town.
One man said he was headed to work in Smyrna but had to call in late due to the traffic being tied up on commonly-used routes.
Another man said his car was just about out of gas. When asked where he was headed, “Anywhere but here,” was his response.
Around 2 p.m., no traffic signals were operating in the Cason Lane area. Heavy tree damage was seen at homes near the intersection of Brinkley and Franklin roads. At the intersection of Brinkley/Florence roads and Manson Pike, a man dressed in plain clothes parked his car and directed traffic in the area.
- Published HERE in the Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Saturday, April 11, 2009
By MEALAND • RAGLAND-HUDGINS • April 11, 2009
Park Ranger Jim Lewis was shocked Friday when he stepped out of the visitor’s center at the Stones River Battlefield and saw a funnel cloud coming toward him.
“It was headed right this way,” he said, describing the path of Friday’s tornado.
Lewis said about 50 to 60 people took shelter in the basement of the center when word of the tornado was sent out. Some had been at the Murfreesboro Greenway, but many pulled over just to seek shelter.
“People were frantic, especially the ones who had kids at day care,” he said.
The winds toppled wooden fencing and several trees at the battlefield. Power lines were also down. The stretch of Old Nashville Highway in the immediate area was closed for some time because a tree was in the road. Siding from buildings was strewn about the fields but none of it from the visitor’s center, Lewis said.
“All the debris you see came from that way,” he said, motioning toward the West Park subdivision. “You can look at the trees and tell exactly which way it came. It crossed Old Nashville and hit some trees over there. We’ll be busy for a while getting everything cleared out.”
Immediately after the storm, lines for gas at the Texaco Food Mart at the corner of Thompson Lane and Robert Rose Drive were steady. Several pumps were shut down because the storm knocked out some of the computer systems to them. As customers waited their turn, they swapped suggestions on the best way to reach their destinations, since traffic was congested across town.
One man said he was headed to work in Smyrna but had to call in late due to the traffic being tied up on commonly-used routes.
Another man said his car was just about out of gas. When asked where he was headed, “Anywhere but here,” was his response.
Around 2 p.m., no traffic signals were operating in the Cason Lane area. Heavy tree damage was seen at homes near the intersection of Brinkley and Franklin roads. At the intersection of Brinkley/Florence roads and Manson Pike, a man dressed in plain clothes parked his car and directed traffic in the area.
- Published HERE in the Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Saturday, April 11, 2009
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