Sentinel revisits 1981 Thornton tornado
Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 7:18am MST
On June 3, 1981 a tornado struck Thornton in what is the worst twister to have struck the Denver metro area. Image courtesy the City of Thornton archives.
I always tell the story of me being in 6th grade at Hillcrest Elementary in Northglenn on June 3, 1981. Sitting at our desks the principal comes over the intercom and announces that all students need to get under their desks. I look outside and see that it is dark as night – at least it seemed to be to a scared 12 year old!
Not long after, a tornado touched down a few miles away along Washington Street in Thornton destroying 25 homes and injuring 53 people.
In a recent series on the history of Washington Street, the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel revisited that day and the damage the tornado caused. It is fascinating reading whether you have lived here long enough to remember it or not.
February 28th, 2009 at 6:45 AM
[...] Don’t think tornadoes can hit Thornton? Click here for a look back at the June 3, 1981 twist… [...]
November 9th, 2010 at 5:15 PM
As a small boy, just about to emigrate back to my native Great Britain, being told by the then pricipal of Hulstrom Elementary to calmly get under our desks, was both frightening and exciting at the same time ! It was, amongst others, one of my abiding memories of American school life that will always stay with me .