# Ninety years ago today - the great Boston molasses flood **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 15, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383 "2009-01-15T04:44:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/1 "2009-01-15T04:44:30Z")
I love the quirky items in the “On this Day” feature. On the radio this morning it was noted that today’s the 90th anniversary of the [molasses flood](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Molasses_Disaster) that occured in Boston on 15 January 1919. A large tank ruptured, sending out a huge wave of molasses, killing about 20 people. Indeed a horrible way to go. The Wiki article says: > [@](#): > > The event has entered local folklore, and residents claim that on hot summer days the area still smells of molasses. Boston residents: is it true? Can you really still smell the molasses after ninety years? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/2 "2009-01-15T04:48:31Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=316023&highlight=boston+molasses](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=316023&highlight=boston+molasses) A previous thread on the subject, of which there have been a few. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/3 "2009-01-15T10:07:43Z")
Man, there’s a Beatles parody bouncing in my head, but it’s just not coming together… “It was 90 years ago today…” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/4 "2009-01-15T12:48:47Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > “It was 90 years ago today…” “Some molasses flooded Boston Bay Flood’s been going in and out of style But the smell is gonna last a while…” I learned about the molasses flood from t[his thread in September.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10152865#post10152865) It immediately became one of my favorite bits of history. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/5 "2009-01-15T14:17:49Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Boston residents: is it true? Can you really still smell the molasses after ninety years? Maybe some hot day this summer, I’ll mosey over there and report back. I imagine you have to be pretty close to the actual site. I’ve been in the North End, even when it’s boiling hot, and never smelled anything. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/6 "2009-01-15T14:40:58Z")
No one ever expects molasses. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/7 "2009-01-15T14:49:27Z")
From much loved poster [**Eve**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=159858) > [@](#): > > Oh the fact’ry made molasses, in Boston’s old North Side. > Well, they thought they had a yummy treat, the city’s joy and pride. > But the Lord’s almighty hand loosed the flood so sweet and brown— > It was a sticky day for Boston when molasses came to town. > > It was sad (so sad!) It was sad (so sad!) > Oh, the sweet, sweet flood still lingers— > Some lost husbands, wives, and little children dipped their fingers > It was a sticky day for Boston when molasses came to town. > > Well it was January fifteenth, and temps were just at zero— > When the 90-foot tank ruptured and the world it all turned brown! > The town was flooded just like Rome was ruined by old Nero; > It was a sticky day for Boston when molasses came to town. I still remember reading that thread! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/8 "2009-01-15T15:21:55Z")
This thread needs to be made a sticky. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/9 "2009-01-15T15:24:48Z")
> [@Sal\_Ammoniac](#): > > Maybe some hot day this summer, I’ll mosey over there and report back. I imagine you have to be pretty close to the actual site. I’ve been in the North End, even when it’s boiling hot, and never smelled anything. I might try that, too. First I’ll have to find out what molasses smells like. The site of the Brink’s robbery is only a few blocks away. Maybe swing by Piedmont St. (location of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire) for a macabre trifecta of Boston history. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/10 "2009-01-15T15:40:22Z")
The smell’s gone, but you can still taste it if you lick the back alleys. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/11 "2009-01-16T01:24:18Z")
> [@Sal\_Ammoniac](#): > > Maybe some hot day this summer, I’ll mosey over there and report back. I imagine you have to be pretty close to the actual site. I’ve been in the North End, even when it’s boiling hot, and never smelled anything. I’d certainly be interested to hear the outcome. The notion that you can still smell molasses nintey years after the event seems rather unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/12 "2009-01-16T01:26:20Z")
I disagree. “Crushed by molasses” is an _awesome_ way to die. Also, band name! ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/13 "2009-01-16T01:33:41Z")
there is a book called “dark tide” about the disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ninety-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood/481383/14 "2009-01-16T01:59:42Z")
Now if it was sub zero that day how fast would the molasses have flowed?