1990 Plainfield Tornado Memorial - Plainfield, IL
Posted by: cldisme
N 41° 36.066 W 088° 12.243
16T E 399662 N 4606188
On August 28, 1990, an F5 tornado (261-318 mph winds) tore through Plainfield, Illinois killing 29 people and injuring over 350 more along its 16 mile long path.
Waymark Code: WM1VQ9
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 07/15/2007
Views: 290
This monument was dedicated one year after a historic tornado ripped through northwestern Will County and devistated the Village of Plainfield with destruction. Not only is it for those who were killed and injured, but also for all those who helped in the recovery.
The Cities of Crest Hill and Joliet were not spared either, but the majority of the damage could be found in Plainfield.
To visit this monument, parking will be difficult. The monument sits along the path of the tornado in front of a school district maintenance building near the high school, so parking during normal office hours is awkward.
Parking on the street (Ft. Beggs Road) in front of the monument is forbidden and parking on the cross street (Pratt Street) is restricted during school hours.
So it is recommended you visit this monument either on weekends or when school is not in session.
Other reference links on the Plainfield Tornado of 1990:
Plainfield Public Library's History of Plainfield Tornados
wikipedia entry
Chicago Office of the National Service's discussion on Chicago area tornados