WORCESTER, Mass. - June marked 70 years since an estimated F4 tornado killed 94 people in central Massachusetts, and Worcester City Councilor Moe Bergman is pushing for a more appropriate memorial.
The storm traveled 48 miles and injured nearly 1,300 people in 1953. The tornado was on the ground for 84 minutes and hit Worcester and several surrounding towns.
Bergman said his biggest issue right now is the memorial's location on the campus of Quinsigamond Community College, which he said is not accessible to the public.
Bergman said two-thirds of the victims were Worcester residents, and it remains one of the deadliest tornadoes in the country's history, so the impact it had should be remembered by all.
"It's respectful that Quinsigamond Community College has a monument on their campus," Bergman said. "But it's not a city memorial, and it's not in a prominent place, and it's not unique in its design. I think for the memory of those who passed, and for the role that it played in Worcester's history, I think it should be unique and I think it should be in a public, a much more public place."
It's unclear who owns the memorial. QCC said they are the caretakers for the monument.
Bergman said Worcester Common could be a potential spot for a new memorial, but the families of victims must be consulted first.