Remembering the July 4, 1978 Elgin Tornado: Woman Shares Story of Survival 47 Years Later

 

 

 

 

Remembering the July 4, 1978 Elgin Tornado: Woman Shares Story of Survival 47 Years Later

 

ELGIN, Ill. — July 4, 1978, was a day meant for celebration — fireworks, cookouts, and family gatherings. But in Elgin, Illinois, the holiday turned deadly when an EF-2 tornado ripped through the area, killing two

people, injuring dozens, and leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Now, 47 years later, a local woman is sharing her story of survival from that harrowing day — a day when her family’s RV became a capsule of terror.

 

“I remember the sky turning green and everything going quiet,” recalls Linda Moore, who was 26 at the time. She and her husband had taken their two young children to a campground near Elgin for the holiday weekend. Their recreational vehicle, parked among several others, was meant to be a cozy shelter. But as the tornado touched down around 6:15 p.m., it became the scene of a nightmare.

 

“We had no warning,” Moore said. “The wind started howling and then the RV started to shake. The windows blew out. It felt like the whole thing was about to come apart.”

 

The EF-2 tornado, with winds estimated between 113 and 135 miles per hour, tore through northern Kane County with little notice. Trees were ripped from the ground, power lines snapped, and mobile homes and campers were tossed like toys. Moore’s RV was picked up and slammed onto its side, injuring her husband and pinning her son beneath the table.

 

“I thought we were all going to die,” she said, her voice still catching with emotion after nearly five decades. “We couldn’t move, and the noise was deafening — like a freight train coming straight through us.”

 

Her husband suffered a broken arm and their son had a concussion, but all four family members survived. Others weren’t so fortunate.

 

The tornado claimed the lives of two Elgin residents: a 62-year-old man who was crushed when a tree fell on his vehicle, and a 9-year-old girl who was killed when her family’s camper was overturned. Over 20 people were treated for injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to broken bones.

 

In the aftermath, the community came together to rebuild. But for many, the emotional scars remain.

 

“The destruction was unbelievable. Whole blocks were just flattened,” said retired firefighter Jim Halvorson, who was among the first responders that night. “You don’t forget something like that.”

 

Today, Linda Moore lives just outside Elgin and keeps a weather radio in her home at all times. “We didn’t have alerts like we do now,” she said. “If we had known even five minutes earlier, maybe we could have gotten to safer shelter.”

 

As the 47th anniversary passes, survivors like Moore continue to share their stories — not just to remember those lost, but to remind others of the unpredictable power of nature.

 

“Don’t take any warning lightly,” Moore said. “Because I promise you — it can happen to anyone, at any time.”