A twister brought national attention to Tupelo, Miss., long before its favorite son, Elvis Aron Presley, wiggled his way to fame on the Ed Sullivan Show. In fact, Elvis, born on Jan. 8, 1935, was just barely a toddler when an F-5 tornado roared through his hometown 70 years ago today, claiming the lives of 233 people. It was one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.

Elvis' birthplace on the Old Saltillo Road, East Tupelo

The newspaper that serves Tupelo, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, has a nice four-part series about the tornado. The retrospective features interviews with survivors and stories of those who didn't make it through the storm. Weatherwise magazine also did a nice feature article on the 1936 Tupelo tornado. Not only did the storm rip through the town of Tupelo, but its 15 mile path affected rural communities as well. The morning after the storms rolled through Tupelo, other tornadoes developed near Gainesville, Ga., claiming the lives of an additional 203 people

The storm, despite its ferocity, left the home where Elvis was born relatively unscathed. The home stands today, much as it did in 1936, though the ceiling and roof have been replaced due to age, not because of the tornado.

I've had the pleasure of visiting the Elvis Presley Birthplace. My wife, Meredith, is from Tupelo, and most of her family still resides in the area.

Gladys, Elvis & Vernon Presley 1937

Tornado Hits Tupelo Area - May 9, 2008

A tornado was spotted over the Tupelo area during the early morning hours Thursday. There were numerous reports of downed trees and police reported some damage to a Mississippi Department of Transportation building, but Elvis Presley's birthplace did not receive any damage.

- Elvis Aaron Presley 1935-1953 : The Early Years of a Legend