Downtown Lubbock is excited to be adding a Tornado Memorial dedicated to the devastating impact of the two tornados that took place in 1970. The tornados impacted the entire town of Lubbock, killing 26 people, severely injuring 255, and leaving 1,500 with minor injuries. The building team has hopes of finishing the memorial by May 11, 2020, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tornado. This memorial will pay tribute to the people who helped restore Lubbock and to the people that lost their lives.

The memorial will be located on the corner of Avenue Q and Glenna Goodacre Boulevard, on land owned by the city that they generously gave to the committee. Donations are still needed, but the committee is almost to the halfway mark. The funds are being raised through the Community Foundation of West Texas.

The Tornado Memorial is designed in a unique and beautiful way. While visiting the memorial, observers will see the names of the victims and quotes from people who witnessed the event. The pattern on the ground will represent the streets, while the walls of the memorial will trace the path the tornadoes made through Lubbock.

The community has created a Facebook group called “1970 Lubbock Tornado” where members can share stories about what they recall from the day the tornados took place. Members of the group also share pictures of the aftermath and pictures of what the memorial will look like. The video linked below shares the details of 1970 and shows the impact and tracks that the tornado made through the town. https://www.facebook.com/reallyjcs/videos/10152929573533505/

Citizens and visitors should look forward to this amazing addition coming to Downtown Lubbock.