Ice and downed tree limbs after 1953 ice storm
The Herman Lohmeyer funeral home is pictured with a fallen tree across the yard after a sleet storm.
The Ozarks looked like a winter wonderland in April 1953 after a furious and devastating storm. Heavy winds and sleet swept through the city, tearing down huge trees like the one seen in the picture. The weatherman at the time, C.C. Williford, said the storm also ruined all the area's fruit crops and damaged much of the grain and legumes being grown.
City Utilities reported that nearly 5,000 Springfield homes were out of power after the storm, which was believed to be caused by a “cyclonic area, the like of which I've never seen before,” according to Williford. The branches became heavy with sleet and began snapping to the ground below. These branches wrecked cars and tore through power lines.
Street commissioner C. Ray Brown said his department received more than 150 calls during the night. City Utilities worked tirelessly to restore the city's power for nearly a week after the storm that affected nine out of every 10 homes.
This image is part of a much larger collection of historically rich photographs from the NewsLeader’s photo archive. Each week, the Springfield-Greene County Library will tap into this vast collection and present an interesting image “from the darkroom" and share its history. This image is presented in partnership between the Springfield-Greene County Library District and the Springfield News-Leader. For more historical images of the Ozarks, visit: thelibrary.org/fromthedarkroom.