The Sticky Tale of the Great Boston Molasses Flood

Nov 15

In this episode of Catastrophe Chronicles, we dive into the sticky, surreal horror of the Great Molasses Flood, a disaster that’s as tragic as it is unbelievable. On January 15, 1919, a colossal storage tank filled with 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst in Boston’s North End, unleashing a wave that swept through the neighborhood, killing 21 people and injuring over a hundred. The tank, poorly constructed and ignored despite visible warning signs, became a ticking time bomb—until one day, the Boston winter couldn’t hold it back any longer.

But the story of molasses in America doesn’t begin there. Molasses had long been a valuable commodity, fueling trade, rum production, and even indirectly stoking tensions leading to the American Revolution. It was more than a sticky syrup—it was economic power. And by 1919, the United States Industrial Alcohol Company, hungry to profit from wartime demand, was cutting every corner possible to get it’s storage tank up and keep it standing, ignoring constant leaks and ominous creaks. When the tank finally failed, it triggered a flood that wasn’t just deadly—it was bizarre and nightmarish, as molasses surged through the streets at a pace no one could outrun.

The catastrophe didn’t stop with the flood. The cleanup was a mess of bureaucracy, with companies dodging responsibility, and Boston’s streets sticky with molasses long after the flood-syrups receded. This episode peels back the layers of America’s molasses obsession, exposing how profit, negligence, and a lack of accountability can turn something as simple as syrup into a destructive force. Tune in for a sticky tale of history, dark humor, and a disastrous reminder that sometimes, the sweetest things can become the deadliest.

Sources:

Books:

Dark Tide: Stephen Puleo

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Tide-Great-Boston-Molasses/dp/080707800X

Podcasts:

Disaster Area Podcast, episode 33 - The Boston Molasses Flood

History This Week Podcast: The Great Boston Molasses Flood

Articles / webpages:

The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 - History.com, Evan Andrews

https://www.history.com/news/the-great-molasses-flood-of-1919

Great Molasses Flood 1919, reactions

https://youtu.be/iMPGm3OSvMg