The Blizzard of 1888This past blizzard hit the Northeast pretty hard, but it was nothing compared to the Blizzard of 1888. One of the deadliest blizzards in American history severely disrupted life for anyone living between the Chesapeake Bay and Maine. Snow from 10 to 58 inches fell in some areas, but it was the 45mph winds that created snow drifts reaching 50 feet in height. Railroads were completely shut down, telegraph lines were disabled, and millions were forced to stay inside for over a week. Efforts were made to push snow into existing bodies of water, but as the snow began to melt, flooding became a severe problem, continuing to damage the infrastructure of communities along the coast. Communities came together to provide mutual aid for one another, which included shoveling snow, transporting goods to those unable to leave their homes, and even freeing people from their homes when heavy snow drifts blocked exitways. In total, 400 men, women, and children would perish as a result of the storm, but millions were able to survive because of community action, with the Brooklyn Eagle summing it up perfectly that the storm made clear how dependent we are on one another, and that the Blizzard of 1888 “came like a providential monitor to remind us, in the midst of our selfish warfare…that we cannot get along without each other.”
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