131 Years Ago, Massachusetts Was Hit With The Worst Blizzard In History

It began shortly after on March 12 and was actually preceded by a few days of unusually warm weather. Because of this and due to the late date of the storm, people in Massachusetts weren’t prepared for this intense storm.

The National Weather Service estimates that as much as 50 inches (yes, that’s over four feet) fell in Massachusetts over the course of the storm. Road transport wasn’t possible for days, and pets that were left outside froze to death.

Many homes were slowly consumed as the hours of snowfall continued. The highest drift recorded was 58 feet, and some drifts covered three-story homes. Winds howled at more than 80 miles and hour and all road and rail transport halted. Temperatures were among the coldest reported in years.

More than 400 people were killed by the blizzard. Roads and train tracks were covered by ice and snow for more than a week. In fact, this storm was partly responsible for the creation of the first underground system in America – the Boston subway. Over 200 ships were grounded or wrecked. After the blizzard, the state worked to make sure emergency responders would be better able to handle subsequent storms. It took months for Massachusetts to recover from this monster blizzard.