Centennial Christian Church, a 122-year-old landmark in St. Louis’ Fountain Park neighborhood was devastated on May 16, 2025, when an EF3 tornado ravaged through North City, collapsing its roof and historic steeple. Inside the church, Patricia Penelton, was killed while volunteering and preparing meals for the community.
The heavily damaged structure remained standing for months behind Kings Customs, where owner Jay Johnson became a key figure in local relief and recovery efforts following the storm. By April 2026, the building was deemed unsalvageable, and demolition crews cleared the site over the course of about ten days, preserving only select elements like its stained glass. Though the physical structure is gone, the congregation has committed to rebuilding on the same site, with plans that may expand beyond a sanctuary to include broader community services.
🎥 by
@thomasjimaging
#aerial #drone #stl #tornado #community
![May 15, 2026 ️ ‘All In for North City: Community Rally’:@actionstl & @ohun.ashe lead a community rally on the front steps of St. Louis City Hall to elevate the voices of North City — seemingly “abandoned” by the city’s mayor, Cara Spencer. Spencer is under fire for the [highly debated] amount of Rams’ settlement funds that will be allocated to the city’s North Side following the EF3 tornado that ravaged thru St. Louis May 16, 2025. by @thomasjimaging#rally #stl #tornado #community](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6727286660136334452452_0_55f4784382078596610f76756c1de738.jpg?o=aHR0cHM6Ly9zY29udGVudC1sZ2EzLTMuY2RuaW5zdGFncmFtLmNvbS92L3Q1MS44Mjc4Ny0xNS83MDI1MTYwNTRfMTgzMjUzNjA4ODgyNjQyOTJfNzIyMTUxNzc1MDUwNDMzNjEzNF9uLmpwZz9zdHA9YzAuMTI5LjEzNjUuMTM2NWFfZHN0LWpwZ19lMzVfczY0MHg2NDBfc2gyLjA4X3R0NiZfbmNfaHQ9c2NvbnRlbnQtbGdhMy0zLmNkbmluc3RhZ3JhbS5jb20mX25jX2NhdD0xMDgmX25jX29jPVE2Y1oyZ0gwTmtjRzZpMVNSejdic2M4STlreUNlNGdOZV8tMXZsMWpwNThhQmpzQlk4QnVhcDdkU3ZMNUNldlFkWHJOeVdKWTFfb3hKTmFaaUp3QWRvSktiVml6Jl9uY19vaGM9R0t3anNNZHI3cFFRN2tOdndIaFFxaHcmX25jX2dpZD1yN2R2VFBkWjNKenJyOURfR29EX0ZRJmVkbT1BUFU4OUZBQkFBQUEmY2NiPTctNSZvaD0wMF9BZjd0SHZvZHhuQ3FPdEJGVVY1TTQtTlJfV3h1SjJKeEhyNnpITkhwbUwzUXZ3Jm9lPTZBMTAzMDgwJl9uY19zaWQ9YmMwYzJj&h=98d2bd3c02ccf790ec275c6c25fe8abf)
