Mount Clemens, New Baltimore, MI Tornado, May 1964

I survived this tornado. It was a monster. The majority of the hit was between 21 mile road and just shy of New Baltomore. I lived at 21 mile and Jefferson where the funnel first set down.

Thanks for your comment. If you have any pictures or photos of this tornado and damage created, if you email them to me I will add them to this article.
Thanks again
Stu

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!

Stu,

I was surprised to stumble across this article on the 1964 tornado that struck New Baltimore. I remember my mother's paternal aunt and uncle were caught in its path, along with their spouses, but I would never have remembered the year. Aunt Collette was standing in front of a full-length mirror when it exploded - she sparkled for a couple of years until all the glass worked its way out to the surface of her skin. Aunt Marion needed skin grafts to repair all the damage she suffered. Thank you so much for sharing this article!

Mary Beth

Mary Beth
you are very very welcome. Thank you so much for replying.
Stu

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!

Stu,
I stumbled upon your note and I'm VERY interested in any photos from this tornado. I was in the tornado and I have no photos which I can pass on to my kids/grandkids. I lived on Meldrum by the Salt Creek Marina south of 23 mile and less than 1 block in from Anchor Bay. I just got home from Tennis practice and laid down for a nap before dinner. Our neighbor watched the tornado with his binnaculors and was running up and down the street yelling for peopl to get out of thier houses. The water table is too high so most people did not have basements. The only place for us to go was a field behind our house. My mother, father and brother were home at the time. They ran out of the house and returned for me when they realized thwey forgot me. We JUST made it to the field in time. We laid down and HELD on to the weeds so we would not be blown away. My mother's legs blew up so my brother (just home from the NAVY laid on her to keep her down. I lifted my head to look behind me and I was hit in the back of the head by something. God was with us that day, there were splinters in the ground all around us. After the tornado we looked around; house gone along with everyrthing we owned. Dad's car flattend by the house chimmney. Brother's car (59 ford) looked like someone took a scatter gun to destroy it. My Sister's car (also 59 Ford) was parked next to my brother's car. It sustaind no damage. We had injuries. We managed to get my sister's car out and made our way to Mt Clemens General hospital. we had to drive throgh Capart Air force housing area to avoid downed lines. When we got to the hospital they would not believe us. they tought we were in an accident. When the abulances started ariving they took us seriously. Total injuries; mother had broken leg and blood infection, Brother had a couple of small holes in his upper chest that were not serious and I had a concussion. thank God for the Red Cross that helped us through the ordeal and survive. My parents rebuilt and I graduated from Anchor Bay in 1966. Please send me any pictures you may accumulate so I can pass on this history.

I was 4 years old and staying with my grandparents who lived in Chesterfield Shores.
I was scared to death, and I remember my grandmother pushing me under
the bed while she laid on the floor next to me and prayed. Wow!

I also remember the damage, especially in the Lottivue subdivsion just one
mile south of us.

Stu,

Here's another story for you. I'm not the best writer, but here it goes. I was just over 2 years-old and the youngest of six children. Mom had all of us in eight years! My dad was a builder. He bought nails in 25 lb boxes. He was adding a SECOND story addition to a house in Lottivue Subdivison. He was working in the bathroom. He RAN OUT OF NAILS! He went to his truck to go to Lumberjack (I believe) to buy more when he saw the tornado. He went instead to our house off Jefferson. He made it there in time to get us all in the hallway. When the tornado was over, he went back to his jobsite. The ENTIRE second story was gone! My parents had friends in that sub. Mrs. Nakolan, if I remember the story correctly, took her two children into a hall closet. When the tornado was over, she opened the door, and the closet was the only thing standing. My dad has Super8 film and I believe they have transferred it to DVD's. I'll have to check into it if you're still interested.

I believe it was because of that tornado, that my dad became a Chesterfield Township firefighter for almost twenty-five years.

Thanks!

I remember this very well...my family had a cottage on Anchor Bay on a street named Meldrum Road.

The old cottage was a huge two story home on the lake front...it was weeks before our family was able to go in...I remember my older brother finding perfectly preserved LP's that were very think and played at 78 RPM's

The family rebuilt the cottage and while it was great, I missed all the nooks and cranny's the old cottage had for little kids to playt hide and seek.

I was only 12 at the time but for some reason our house was missed. New Baltimore was destroyed - along Jefferson mainly. My mom lost a good friend, Donna Soloc & baby in this disaster. This looked every bit like a war zone that you would see on TV. Every single year since this happened I stop and remember in horror. It will stay with me forever.

Me too - I am a survivor. I lived on Callens Road & Hooker Road. A nightmare I will never forget - EVER!!!!