Tornado 1971

May 6, 1971 The Daily Record: A windstorm swept through Lawrence County shortly before 10:00 am from the northwest leaving a trail of uprooted trees, damaged farm buildings and broken windows.

At 10:10 A.M. a small tornado was sighted south of Lawrenceville by Mrs. John Finley, that heavily damaged Finley's barn. The barn is located about 75-100 yards north of the house. Her husband had just pulled into the driveway a short distance north of his house in his pickup truck when the storm struck. He tried to open the doors of the truck but the wind was so strong he couldn't. After the tornado had passed, he ran to the barn to check on his cows and found that all were still alive.

Mrs. Finley, who was in the house at the time the tornado struck said she saw a twisting cloud formation come from the west, passing just north of the house. The twister continued on eastward across a field, destroying a barn about a quarter of a mile away.

In Lawrenceville trees were knocked down, streets were temporarily flooded and an auto reportedly blown over east of Lawrenceville on Bus. 50. The screen at the Midway Drive- In was blown down and the theater manager, Jim Totten, said that shows would be held at the Avalon theatre temporarily.