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Recounts the deadly 1967 Oak Lawn tornado’s path, impact, and how Beverly was largely spared

There are only a few known pictures of the actual 1967 tornado that touched down in the Oak Lawn area. This one was captured by Ron Bacon.
This dramatic photo of the 1967 tornado was captured by Elmer C. Johnson. The photo was taken in black and white but was not retouched – the sky and the tornado really did turn black that day.
Part of the original survey map of the 1967 tornado shows it traveled along 87th Street right through the Beverly Country Club, where it destroyed an outbuilding, and Dan Ryan Woods where it uprooted and damaged hundreds of trees. From www.weather.gov.
A building at the Beverly Country Club was destroyed by the 1967 tornado. This is actually Evergreen Park, not Chicago. From the Oak Lawn Public Library.

The Ridge Historical Society

Anniversary of Tornado

By Carol Flynn

On April 21, 1967, the deadliest tornado in the history of northern Illinois came through the area right at evening rush hour.

At 5:24 p.m., the twister touched down in Palos Hills by 106th Street and 88th Avenue where Moraine Valley Community College is now, and started moving east-northeast. It reached its maximum size and intensity as it passed through Oak Lawn, Hometown and Evergreen Park.

The funnel continued along 87th Street, destroying a building at the Beverly Country Club, and tore through Dan Ryan Woods, uprooting and damaging hundreds of trees.

It continued northeast, weakening, until it moved into the lake as a waterspout at Rainbow Beach around 79th Street.

The tornado caused 33 fatalities and over 1,000 injuries, and more than $50 million in property damage. Beverly was largely spared because of the forest preserve’s location. Our sympathies continue to this day to be extended to the communities devasted by this natural disaster.