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February 3, 2025 19 mins

On January 15ᵗʰ, 1919, a massive tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses had exploded, flooding Boston's north end docks with sticky molasses. Purity Distilling Company had been warned several times that the tank was creaking, leaking molasses, but the company ignored these warnings, until it was too late. Thousands of gallons flowed across Boston’s North End, resulting in several deaths. Rumor has it that on warm days, one can still smell the molasses.


Thanks to Mike Meyers for the theme music, you can follow him on X @themikeshow42.


Background music is: Circular Disorder by Unheard Music Concepts, Free Music Archive (CC BY) https://tinyurl.com/CircularDisorder


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SOURCES


https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/great-boston-molasses-disaster-1919/

https://www.npr.org/2019/01/15/685154620/a-deadly-tsunami-of-molasses-in-bostons-north-end

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/molasses-floods-boston-streets

https://www.history.com/news/the-great-molasses-flood-of-1919

https://allthatsinteresting.com/boston-molasses-flood#4

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/great-boston-molasses-flood-1919-killed-21-after-2-million-n958326

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Molasses-Flood

https://www.shefflaw.com/how-the-boston-molasses-flood-began-a-new-era-of-liability/

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/27366/bostons-great-molasses-flood-1919

https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/prohibition

https://www.wbur.org/news/2019/01/15/molasses-environment-disaster-boston-harbor

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