Putnam County Commission to build greenspace tornado memorial

Claire Cranford - Sophomore | News

On Mar. 3, 2020, a tornado ripped through the Cookeville neighborhood on Hensley Drive, claiming 19 lives and injuring 87 more. As the one-year anniversary of the deadly storm draws nearer, Putnam County mayor Randy Porter plans to build a personal memorial in remembrance of the tragedy.

On Jan. 25, Putnam County Commission approved $75,000 to buy back land from three homeowners who did not plan to rebuild their home after it was destroyed in the storm. Porter has teamed with TennGreen Land Conservancy and the City of Cookeville and plans to build a greenspace park fully furnished with playground equipment, benches, and walking trails in its place.

“It is a peaceful spot, as bad as it was. It’s part of our history, and you want to do something for that community because they were hit so bad and lost so much,” said Porter.

Additionally, the parks commission will construct a memorial to honor the 19 people who lost their lives in the storm. The memorial will be in a separate space from the greenspace and playground.

For many, this park will not only serve as a memorial for the tragedy, but also as a reminder of the strength and resilience of the community.

“This is an effort that I think will also help not only memorialize folks that lost their lives and survivors, but also memorialize what happened in our community and how well our community came together to react to the tornado,” said Porter.

The park will hold an opening ceremony on March 3, the one-year anniversary of the deadly storm.