Forsyth County Residents Remember May 1989 Tornado Outbreak

Many Forsyth County residents still remember the devastating storm that brought tornadoes and high winds to the area twenty five years ago.

On the evening of May 5, 1989, Jan Trivette was attending a family event at Calvary Moravian Church on Holly Avenue in Winston-Salem. Suddenly, she started hearing a lot of noise and wind. When the stained glass windows began to shake, church members decided to seek shelter.

“We all went down to the first level of the church and stood in the hallways and basically held hands and comforted each other,” she explained.

“One thing that worried us is that our children were in the building behind the church and we couldn't get to them because of the bricks, tiles and debris blowing across the parking lot,” said Trivette.

Fortunately no one was hurt at the church, but Trivette says getting home that night was a challenge. That's because the storm left a twisted mess of downed power lines, trees and broken glass throughout the community.

Kay McKnight, the archives assistant in the Library at Salem Academy & College, said her husband was teaching a chemistry class on campus on May 5, 1989. He took shelter on campus. McKnight was at home about a mile away from the school when the storm hit. She headed to her basement and ended up spending the night without power. She said what she saw the next morning in Salem Square is something she will never forget.  

“The next morning in the square, nearly all of the 100 year old trees were either uprooted or snapped off. Some trees were on buildings. There was broken glass and debris everywhere. I was stunned to see how much damage there was,” McKnight said.

Several grave markers were also damaged at God's Acre Cemetery in Old Salem.  The tornado outbreak in May 1989 spawned a total 16 tornadoes in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Overall, it caused 7 deaths and 168 injuries.

McKnight says the storm may have brought devastation and destruction, but it left behind a stronger community. Soon after, Salem College faculty, staff, and students created a special fundraising campaign to help restore the historic campus. McKnight says for months, neighbors from around the county helped in the cleanup.

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