Forest County Additional Historical Information

On May 31, 1985 from 6:30-7:10 p.m., a violent F4 tornado devastated the Tionesta area. It was one of 20 tornados that touched down in Pennsylvania that day. The Tionesta tornado first touched down in Venango County, just east of Oil Creek State Park, near Pithole. It then tracked east into Forest County passing just north of Tionesta. The tornado was nearly one mile wide as it crossed through Forest County, leveling trees as it went. It lifted near Pigeon, about seven miles northeast of Marienville. Starr, Crystal Springs, Whig Hill, and Kelletville were hit hard. Throughout the event, 125 buildings were destroyed, 700 were damaged, and seven people died. It's still one of the worst natural disasters to ever hit our area. 

John Evankovich, Central Electric Cooperative's (CEC's) current manager of operations, had only been on the line crew for two weeks when the tornado hit, but he remembers it well. He said CEC sent two linemen (Harold Aughton, Sr., and Jeff Fleming) to see what was causing the power outages in Tionesta that day. And when they arrived, there was debris blocking the road to CEC's Starr Substation, so Harold got out of the truck to see what was going on. When he got back to the truck he radioed in to the office and said, "Send every man and piece of equipment we have. It's gone. Everything is gone." 

After the storm, much of the area was completely devastated. Homes were leveled, power and phone lines were ripped to the ground, debris was everywhere, and people were scared. This is when CEC decided to help. CEC brush crews were some of the first on the scene to help clear the roads for emergency services to gain access. CEC linemen worked 16-hour days for six weeks straight to get power restored -- one of CEC's substations was completely gone from the storm. They set up an outpost with supplies and a radio for residents to communicate with CEC's office staff, who would then call the person's family to let them know that they were okay.

It was a very tragic and devastating time for many. But it is also remembered by many who witnessed the aftermath, as one of the best displays of community they've ever witnessed.