Episode Summary

On January 15, 1919, a massive industrial tank collapsed in Boston's North End, unleashing a 25-foot wave of molasses that moved at 35 mph through crowded streets. This catastrophic event killed 21 people, injured 150 more, and caused unprecedented destruction. Join Katie Petriella as she investigates how corporate negligence led to this bizarre disaster, the heroic rescue efforts that followed, and how the subsequent legal battle fundamentally changed building regulations and corporate accountability in America.

Did You Know?

• The molasses tank was never properly tested before being put into service
• Children from the neighborhood would collect leaking molasses with cups
• The company painted the tank brown to hide the leaks rather than fix them
• For decades afterward, residents reported smelling molasses on hot summer days
• The disaster led to Massachusetts passing some of the first laws requiring engineers to certify building plans

Episode Highlight Timestamps

• 0:15  Introduction to the disaster and its bizarre nature
• 1:32  Life in Boston's North End in 1919 and the historical context
• 3:16  The poorly constructed molasses tank and early warning signs
• 5:35  January 15, 1919: The fateful day and what triggered the collapse
• 7:03  The deadly molasses wave and its immediate devastating impact
• 9:23  Rescue efforts and stories of remarkable heroism
• 11:35  The massive cleanup process that took weeks to complete
• 13:23  Legal battle against USIA and the groundbreaking verdict
• 15:21  How the disaster changed regulations and corporate accountability
• 16:24  Remembering the victims and the disaster's lasting legacy

Key Facts

• Date: January 15, 1919
• Location: Boston's North End
• Deaths: 21 people
• Injuries: 150 people
• Molasses quantity: 2.3 million gallons
• Wave height: Up to 25 feet
• Wave speed: Approximately 35 mph
• Tank owner: Purity Distilling Company (subsidiary of United States Industrial Alcohol)
• Court ruling: USIA ordered to pay $300,000 in damages (approximately $4.5 million today)

Further Reading & Sources

• "Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919" by Stephen Puleo
• Boston Globe archives from January 15-22, 1919
• Boston Post reports from January 16, 1919
• "Why the Great Molasses Flood Was So Deadly" by Emily Sohn, History.com
• Boston City Archives documentation of the molasses flood
• Research by Nicole Sharp, fluid dynamics engineer who studied the physics of the disaster
• Washington Post, "The day a deadly wave of molasses tore through Boston"
• Boston.com articles on first-hand accounts and victim profiles of the disaster

#BostonMolassesFlood #IndustrialDisaster #CorporateNegligence #HistoricalTurningPoints #AmericanHistory

Connect With Me

• Instagram: @thebutterflyhistorian

Credits

The Butterfly Historian is researched, written, and hosted by Katie Petriella. The theme music was composed by CAS Creative Arts. This podcast is independently produced. New episodes every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts.