It was on this date in 1635 that the worst hurricane ever to hit New England began. Experts at NOAA reconstructed the storm and believe it be at least a category 4 hurricane with winds at 125 MPH or more. And it was on this date that the Panic of 1857 began. The economic crisis was largely caused by the sinking of the S.S. Central America with its 30,000 pounds of gold from the California Gold Rush.