Library News

May 31 Event at the Warren Library will mark the 40th Anniversary of the 1985 Tornado

(05/14/2025) – A free presentation about the destructive tornado that affected the Trumbull County region in 1985 will be held at 2 p.m. on Sat., May 31, at the Warren Library, 444 Mahoning Ave. NW in Warren.

The event will mark the 40th anniversary of the tornado that swept through the Mahoning Valley on May 31, 1985. Dr. Gregory S. Forbes, a former Severe Weather Expert with The Weather Channel, and Jennifer Narramore, owner of Tornado Talk, will be the guest speakers at the event.

Dr. Forbes was involved in the damage survey as part of the survey team for the National Weather Service and the National Academy of Sciences, and he will share his firsthand experiences of the aftermath.

Narramore will pay tribute to the lives lost, recognize the heroes, and reflect on the resilience of the affected communities.

The library’s Local History & Genealogy Center staff will be collecting personal memories of those who experienced the 1985 tornado for the Trumbull Memory Project. Digital recorders will be available at the checkout desk for those who would like to record their personal account of the tornado. Residents who would like to submit a written account of the tornado and its aftermath may contact a Local History & Genealogy staff member that day or may call (330) 399-8807 ext. 202 during library hours.

The Warren-Trumbull County Public Library first created its online Tornado Memory Project in 2005. The Project is a collection of personal memories and photographs of people who experienced the tornado firsthand and is available to view through the library’s website or directly at www.wtcpl.org/tornado.

Information and local photos of the tornado and its aftermath will be on display at the May 31 event.

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For more information, contact: Cheryl Bush, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, at bushc@wtcpl.org.