One of Emporia’s most devastating weather incidents happened 51 years ago Sunday.
An F-4 tornado developed near 15th and Industrial, carving a swath through Flinthills Mall, Four Seasons Apartments, the Lincoln Village trailer home complex and other areas of northwest Emporia.
Eventually, the tornado grew to half a mile wide as it moved through rural parts of Lyon, Osage and Shawnee counties before dissipating southwest of Auburn.
Six people were killed, with most in the mobile home park. Two hundred people were hurt. Besides the damage in Emporia, 10 farmsteads were damaged. Total property damage was estimated at $25 million, the equivalent of over $162 million in 2025 dollars.
