I’ve been digging through old digital files as part of several parallel projects. Along the way, I’m rediscovering some interesting things.

This one’s personal. It was February 2009, and Meda had been invited to speak at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. After her lectures at the university, we rented a car and made the drive of about 160 miles to Woodward, located in the northwest part of the state. In 2020, it had a population of just over 12,000.

Woodward’s Main Street had been eclipsed when a new highway bypassed it by several blocks, where the newer businesses are now located. Main Street, on the other hand, appears to look much like it did back nearly 80 years ago.

Meda was born here while her father was working as a geologist for an oil company working not too far south of Woodward. The family rented a small brick home in the city.

And that’s where Meda (then less than three months old) and her mother were on April 9, 1947 when a major tornado devastated Woodward and other areas in three states. The house was demolished.

Our visit in 2009 was her first time back in Woodward. I found this video memory of that trip among other old photos and video. Come along for the ride.

Also see:

The Woodward Tornado of 1947, iLind.net, April 9, 2015