The Great Molasses Flood: Boston, 1919

The Great Molasses Flood: Boston, 1919
by Deborah Kops
Charlesbridge, 2012. 102 pgs. Nonfiction.

No, you didn't read that title wrong. This is a book all about Boston's Great Molasses Flood of 1919. What molasses flood you might ask? Read on to find out. On January 15, 1919 a tank filled with 2,319,525 gallons of molasses burst apart, flooding the north end of town with a 40-foot wave of the sticky black substance. 21 people died, many were injured, the elevated railroad tracks were destroyed, whole buildings were washed right off their foundations. The smell was overpowering and clean up was near impossible, but that was only the beginning of all their troubles. Filled with fantastic black and white photographs from the actual incident, this book follows what happened to many of the citizens who found themselves caught up in a unique tragedy no one could have seen coming. It also follows the aftermath and legal battles that raged on for years afterward. Who was to blame for this horrible accident? Read this book and find out!

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