1919 Disaster

The air in Boston’s North End on January 15, 1919, was crisp, carrying the bite of a New England winter. Children played near the waterfront, their laughter echoing against the brick buildings. For the residents of this bustling neighborhood, dominated by the ever-present, towering storage tank of the Purity Distilling Company, life was a mix … Read more

The air in Boston on January 15, 1919, was unusually warm for a winter day. A crisp chill was expected, but instead, a peculiar mildness hung over the North End. Unbeknownst to the bustling city, this deceptive warmth was merely a prelude to a disaster so bizarre, so sticky, and so deadly, it would forever … Read more

The air in Boston’s North End on January 15, 1919, was thick with the usual winter chill and the salty tang of the harbor. But as the afternoon sun began its descent, a far more sinister aroma began to permeate the streets – the cloying, sweet scent of molasses. At approximately 12:30 PM, a massive … Read more

The air in Boston’s North End on January 15, 1919, was crisp and cold, carrying the usual briny scent of the harbor and the distant clang of industry. But as the afternoon wore on, a low rumbling began, a sound that quickly escalated into a terrifying roar. It wasn’t thunder, nor was it an approaching … Read more

The air in Boston’s North End on January 15, 1919, was thick with anticipation, but not from the usual briny sea air or the chill of a New England winter. It was a peculiar, sweet scent, a heady aroma that hinted at the industrial heart of the neighborhood. Tanks of molasses, a key ingredient in … Read more