The great molasses flood of boston by kimberly meaney. Moving at 35 miles per hour, it traveled over two blocks and engulfed everything in its path. Stephen puleo is author of the boston globe best seller the boston italians and the critically acclaimed dark tide. When you talk about a flood of molasses, it elicits this initial giggle. And our book of the day by deborah kops, \u003ci\u003ethe great molasses flood\u003c\i\u003e, takes a look at one of my favorite disasters, which took place in boston in 1919. Nov 21, 2016 a bubbling flood of molasses that sent a towering wave of goo down the streets of boston in 1919, and now scientists have figured out why it was so deadly. The molasses flood of 1919 killed 21 people in boston. On january 15 of 1919 it was a particularly sunny day kin boston, along the harbor of boston their was a huge tank filled with 30 tons of molasses also nearby was a neighbor hood and other mini stores and a firehouse. The torrent of sticky brown goo bore such force, and carried so much debris, that it buckled pillars of bostons elevated railway. The 100th anniversary of the great boston molasses flood is this week. On a relatively mild january day in 1919, boston was the setting for one of the more bizarre disasters to ever happen on american soil. Great molasses flood aftermath of the great molasses flood in boston. The great boston molasses flood of 1919 puleo, stephen on. The wave released during the great molasses flood was said to have been 15 to 40 feet 5 to 12 meters high and some.
The boston molasses disaster also known as the great molasses flood occurred on january 15, 1919, in the north end neighborhood of boston, massachusetts. I didnt learn of the great molasses flood until 2015 when i read the book. A storage tank ruptured in bostons north end releasing 2. The sticky science behind the deadly boston molasses disaster. Fictionalized accounts of the molasses flood can be found in joan hiatt harlows joshuas song 2001 and blair lents picture book molasses flood 1992.
A bubbling flood of molasses that sent a towering wave of goo down the streets of boston in 1919, and now scientists have figured out why it was so deadly. Oct 06, 2005 most disasters dont tickle funny bones. Jan 15, 2016 looking back at the day molasses flooded the streets of boston twentyone people were killed and 150 were injured by the 15foot rolling walls of molasses that flooded the citys streets. So no wonder 21 people were killed and over 150 were injured in. You can learn all about this fascinating historical event in this beautifully packaged nonfiction book. The story of bostons molasses flood disaster is becoming an offbroadway musical the 1919 molasses flood that devastated boston is the backdrop. Booklist on january 15, 1919, a twomilliongallon holding tank filled with molasses exploded, flooding bostons north end near the port. This book was easy to read and very, very compelling.
Sep 02, 2003 the boston molasses flood is my favorite quirky historical moment in boston, and this book showed me how much i didnt know about the tragedy. I was doing research into what books i wanted to read for my winter 20 disaster read, which i. It happened on the 15 of january in boston massachusetts. On this day in 1919, people in bostons north end were startled by a loud rumbling noise. Of all the disasters that have occurred in the united states, the great. The boston molasses flood was historic for several reasons. There was a book published which describes these events in detail its called dark tide. The boston molasses flood is my favorite quirky historical moment in boston, and this book showed me how much i didnt know about the tragedy. The great boston molasses flood of 1919, journalist stephen puleo details what happened in this first book on the subject. This site has the whole story on the molasses flood, it was amazing to read it because i never knew that the molasses traveled 35 mph through the streets of the north end and that the flood was a good 8 to 15 feet tall. I dont think i would have ever picked up a book to read about the great molasses flood of 1919 in boston unless i had to.
Explore our editors picks for the best kids books of the month. The great molasses flood of 1919 one of bostons most peculiar disasters killed 21 people, injured 150 others, and flattened buildings when a giant storage tank ruptured. January 15, 1919 a more than sizeable storage tank 25 metres in height was brimming, holding near its full complement of twoandahalf million gallons of molasses. Shortly after noon on january 15, 1919, a 50foottall steel tank filled with 2. This book chronicles the catastrophic events resulting from the collapse of a large tank containing molasses in the north end neighborhood of boston in 1919. The great boston molasses flood of 1919, fourminute audio story at the american storyteller radio journal. Talk about these issues in the context of the time period and the flood story. Sep 23, 2005 there was a book published which describes these events in detail its called dark tide. The molasses flood and now a page from our sunday morning almanac. The deluge caused extensive damage and killed 21 people. He donates a portion of his book proceeds to the juvenile. The story of bostons molasses flood disaster is becoming. This is a physicsbased simulation of bostons molasses flood of 1919. Molasses flood is recalled in book the boston globe.
Molasses flood of 1919 scenes in the molassesflooded streets of boston. Great molasses flood of 1919 21 killed with storage tank collapses in1919, a tank holding approximately 2 million gallons of molasses collapsed in a boston neighborhood. The tank was designed to contain fermented molasses, which was utilized in the process of making industrial alcohol for munitions and other world war iera weapons. A year after the flood, 119 lawsuits had been filed against united states industrial alcohol, purity distilling companys parent company. Even though you know whats going to happen with the molasses tank, the suspense is dreadful and nightmarish. One minute youre loitering on a north end boston street at lunchtime, enjoying an unseasonably warm day, and the next youre caught in a 40ft. Jan, 2017 this is a physicsbased simulation of boston s molasses flood of 1919. Apr 25, 2017 boston suffered one of historys strangest disasters on january 15, 1919, whenthe great molasses flood tore through the citys north end. Almost exactly 98 years ago, boston was submerged by a deadly molasses flood, which helped to end the citys rum production. Jul, 2017 almost exactly 98 years ago, boston was submerged by a deadly molasses flood, which helped to end the citys rum production. This lighthearted book offers a pleasing blend of nostalgia and imagination. Booklist on january 15, 1919, a twomilliongallon holding tank filled with molasses exploded, flooding boston s north end near the port.
I had to read this for a history book club i am involved with and i couldnt have had a happier surprise. Jan 14, 2019 in one of boston s more unusual disasters, 21 people were killed in a molasses flood in the citys north end in 1919. The great boston molasses flood of 1919 by stephen puleo. My kids really enjoyed the book, and the author, george harrar came to our class to discuss the book and how it developed. Read this informational text to discover the tragedy involved in the great molasses flood.
The forgotten tragedy too bizarre for the history books in 1919, a 30foot wave of molasses claimed the lives of 21 people and injured 150 more. The incident was also the impetus behind the longest court battle in the citys history. Mar 18, 2016 the great boston molasses flood killed 21 people. An account of the january 1919 molasses tank explosion in boston, massachusetts, seeks to uncover why the tank blew up and who was to blame through primary sources and archival photographs that show the extent of the damage.
The great molasses flood and 6 other strange disasters. The great molasses flood, also known as the boston molasses disaster or the great boston. Ok so this book was about the great molasses flood of 1919. The story of bostons molasses flood disaster is becoming an. A flood of molasses, a thick brown sugary flood which devastated a small area of boston, killing several horses, 21 people and at least one cat. Jan 16, 2020 fiery hot molasses floods the streets of boston on january 15, 1919, killing 21 people and injuring scores of others.
A large molasses treacle tank burst and a wave of molasses ran through the streets at an estimated 60 kmh, killing twentyone and injuring 150 others. The straightforward account centers on workers and area residents who either perished in the flood or miraculously survived. Looking back at the day molasses flooded the streets of boston twentyone people were killed and 150 were injured by the 15foot rolling walls of molasses that flooded the citys streets. Gallons of molasses that flooded the north end on january 15, 1919.
At midday on january 15, 1919, in boston, a deluge of sweet, sticky death poured from a burst storage tank. Im proud to say that dark tide is still the only adult nonfiction book about the great boston molasses flood. Boston, 1919 paperback january 6, 2015 by deborah kops author. My class read the trouble with jeremy chance last year, which is a story about a young new hampshire boy living at the time of the great molasses flood.
A former awardwinning newspaper reporter and contributor to american history magazine, he holds a masters degree in history and teaches at suffolk university. Great boston molasses flood plaque boston, massachusetts. On january 15, 1919, in bostons north end, a 50foottall tank holding 2. North end can anyone smell the mollasses boston forum.
A new 100th anniversary edition of the only adult book on one of the odder disasters in us historyand the greed, disregard for poor immigrants, and lack of safety standards that led to it. The great boston molasses flood of 1919 by stephen. I couldnt help but be incredulous about a molasses flood. I teach a multiage 4th and 5th grade class in salem, ma. January 15, 1919 a more than sizeable storage tank 25 metres in height was brimming, holding near its full complement of twoanda. The source of what became known as the great molasses flood was a 50foottall steel holding tank located on commercial street in bostons north end. Jul 03, 2012 in our newest installment of real history, we bring you the story of the boston molasses flood. Molasses is a sweet ingredient that has several uses including the manufacturing of alcohol. The boston molasses flood of 1919 most odd facts of. The great molasses flood footnote to history new england. Jun 27, 2011 a flood of molasses, a thick brown sugary flood which devastated a small area of boston, killing several horses, 21 people and at least one cat. Puleo is a powerful historian, weaving together a wide context of political movements, changing views of big business, and military technologies into a hammock in which to rest this one event of 1919. Until i picked this book up, id never heard of the great boston molasses flood, which is odd, because its one of the most eerie and fascinating disasters to occur in the 20th century.
The book paints a vivid picture of bostons north end and its immigrant population, and. Cars were crushed, horses perished in the sicklysweet tide, and. The great molasses flood, also known as the boston molasses disaster or the great boston molasses flood, and sometimes referred to locally as the boston molassacre, occurred on january 15, 1919, in the north end neighborhood of boston, massachusetts. Sugarysweet molasses turned deadly on january 15, 1919, when a holding tank burst and sent 2. What happened when a molasses tank exploded in boston, massachusetts in january 1919. Discover great boston molasses flood plaque in boston, massachusetts. The spring 2011 one book one community selection is dark tide. But, oddly, when stephen puleo speaks about his book on the boston molasses flood, a good teehee is usually the crowds first response. Interview with stephen puleo, author of the book listed in further reading molasses flood of 1919 scenes in the molassesflooded streets of boston, from the washington times, january 18, 1919. Take a look at how the neighborhood looked after the flood and how it looks today. The sticky science behind the deadly boston molasses. In our newest installment of real history, we bring you the story of the boston molasses flood.
The great boston molasses flood of 1919 tells schworm that the tank was a problem from the beginning and was never properly inspected. January 15, 1919, 98 years ago today the day boston was mauled by molasses. The great boston molasses flood of 1919 killed 21 after 2. See all 7 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Mar 29, 2018 the story of boston s molasses flood disaster is becoming an offbroadway musical the 1919 molasses flood that devastated boston is the backdrop to a new musical that will premier this spring. A former awardwinning newspaper reporter and contributor to american history magazine, he holds a masters degree in history and wrote his thesis on italian immigration and the settlement. Read to find out the mystery surrounding this unlikely historical event. The great boston molasses flood in 1919 book 568189. On an unusually warm january day, a huge storage tank explodes, releasing a flood of molasses. They watched in horror as a fivestory tank broke apart, unleashing a wave of molasses 15 feet high and 160 feet wide.
Fiery hot molasses floods the streets of boston on january 15, 1919, killing 21 people and injuring scores of others. The wave of molasses takes young charlie owen muldoons house, with him on top, on a fantastic ride down the streets of boston. The forgotten tragedy too bizarre for the history books in 1919, a 30foot wave of molasses claimed the lives of. Jan 16, 2020 the source of what became known as the great molasses flood was a 50foottall steel holding tank located on commercial street in bostons north end. The flood was tragic because many innocent people were killed, including a boston firefighter who slowly drowned in the molasses, having been trapped in the debris in a nearby damaged firehouse.
The monumental molasses morass of 1919 damn interesting. A storage tank ruptured in boston s north end releasing 2. The site of one of the strangest disasters in historya wave of deadly molasses traveling at 35 mph. May 22, 2014 the torrent of sticky brown goo bore such force, and carried so much debris, that it buckled pillars of boston s elevated railway. Did you know that in 1919, a huge tank of molasses exploded and flooded bostons north end neighborhood. So no wonder 21 people were killed and over 150 were injured in it, not to mention all the horses and dogs. A former awardwinning newspaper reporter and contributor to american history magazine, he holds a masters degree in history and wrote his thesis on italian immigration and the settlement of bostons north end. I cant tell you how many field trips we took learning local history. Harvard scientists reveal physics behind molasses disaster. Great molasses flood, disaster in boston that occurred after a storage tank collapsed on january 15, 1919, sending more than two million gallons eight million litres of molasses flowing through the citys north end.
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