Tornado Springs

Population: 5,673

Mayor: Bill Fairweather Jnr.

Elevation: 25m

Time Zone: TSC (Tornado Springs Central - Pacific)

Area Code: 19-83 – 20- 19

Areas of Natural Beauty: Buffalo Falls, Crooked Countryside

Notable Businesses: Jesse’s Route 83 Diner, AL’s Auto Academy, Junkyard Junction

Route 83 is the main thoroughfare that spans the length of Tornado Springs, connecting the townsfolk and visitors to the breezy county. The route along a tornado alley is renowned for frequent storms and severe weather conditions. Climatologists and meteorologists keep a close eye on the changing environments monitoring rainfall data and measuring wind speeds along the route and its boundaries.

Tornado Springs offers a true cross-generational appeal and takes pride in upholding its 1950s American Midwest culture and values. The townsfolk are decent, hard-working and friendly – they are made of strong stuff in the Springs, resilient to the extreme weather conditions they regularly face.

Popular local events include unmissable Barn Dances, travelling fairground and carnivals, May day rock and roll festivals and the ‘Annual Buffalo Falls Great Raft Race’. The Town Hall lies at the heart of the county where Mayor Bill conducts his business and unites the community with his vision to build a better and brighter future. The enduring popularity of the era and films such as Grease and Back To The Future resonate with visitors from far and wide and the town is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for parents as well as children.

What a time to be alive! Here is a look at 5 interesting facts about the 1950s era:

• Walt Disney’s Cinderella movie premiered on February 15th 1950 delivering a new princess and the highest grossing movie of that year.
• The very first colour television program was broadcast on June 25 1951.
• The Miss America Pageant was broadcast on television for the first time on September 11th 1954.
• On April 5th 1955 the all American golden arches fast food restaurant McDonalds opened its doors for the first time in Des Plaines, Illinois selling hamburgers for just 15 cents.
• In 1955 on December 1st renowned American activist Rosa Parks – the first lady of civil rights, refused to vacate her seat to a white passenger aboard a Montgomery, AL bus.

Many brave folk have taken on the challenge of chasing a tornado in their time, including a legendary Tornado Springs resident!

Tim Samaras, 55, was a seasoned chaser who pursued tornados for over two decades in Oklahoma.

Joel Taylor, 38 starred in a TV reality series ‘Storm Chasers’ documenting his pursuit of dangerous storms erupting throughout tornado alley.

Mike Bettes, 47 is a popular American television meteorologist and storm chaser from Atlanta, Georgia.

Cooper Storms (Coops) - inventor of the Storm Chaser spinning rollercoaster took his inspiration from a similar ride, Time Traveller in Silver Dollar City. He comes from a long line of chasers in Tornado Springs and works on harnessing the energy of the storms to benefit the breezy county.

The tumultuous World War II took its toll on many countries in the 1950s and none more so than Great Britain. British food was in scarce supply with rationing remaining in place right up until 1954. Sugar, tea, butter, margarine, cheese, cooking fat, bacon and meat all remained under tight control. Fish and Chips came to be the most popular British takeaway whilst families prepared ‘meat and two veg’ at home as part of a staple diet.

Meanwhile in Way Out West America, hamburgers, french fries and milkshakes rose to popularity during the 1950s - the likes of those served at Jesse’s Route 83 Diner in Tornado Springs along with service and a smile! Some folk preferred their TV dinners pulled from the freezer and heated in the oven in less than an hour. Perfect for Tornado Springs townsfolk like Angus after a long day working and playing at the Junk Yard Junction.

The evolution of mechanical marvels to transport people about their daily business boomed in the 1950s! Tornado Springs' very own local mechanic AL down at AL’s Auto Academy is very much a vintage car lover. He is particularly fond of British 1950s cars and can often be seen polishing up a classic Land Rover or Mini.

He would love to get his hands on a 1955 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM IV but one can dream! He spends much of his time teaching the young folk of the Springs how to drive. For this he uses his fleet of all-American classic cars – the 1951 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible, a 1950 Crosley Station Wagon, the 1951 Muntz and the 1954 Hudson Hornet can all be seen whizzing up and down Route 83 when the weather is calm and bright.