Mainers Thought The Apocalypse Was Upon Them This Day In 1780
This day in 1780 was a pretty scary day for Mainers. The skies went black and they didn't know why. Perhaps it was the end of days. Here's what Mainers experienced 242 years ago to this day that led some to believe that it was the end of the world AND what actually happened that led to this unusual event.
The day the skies went dark across New England
On May 19th, 1780, the skies of New England went dark at 9 in the morning. American Heritage magazine describes the beginning of the day with a pink hue that darkened as the morning passed until noon reached an incredible darkness.
An article in Harper's Magazine cited by the Smithsonian, mentions the black out specifically with this: "Birds went to roost, cocks crowed at mid-day as at midnight, and the animals were plainly terrified."
Some believed Judgement Day had arrived
Mainers and New Englanders didn't know what to make of the day that the skies went dark but it caused confusion and fear of the apocalypse. Superstition and religion became the way to reason what happened, they interpreted it as Judgment Day, the day that they would meet their fate of death and destruction as described in the Bible as a part of the apocalypse.
According to an account from Celebrate Boston, the sun and moon where unusually red. The end of the day at midnight saw the passing of the darkness when stars appeared in the sky after a day of no sky.
So, what was the actual cause of this 'Dark Day of 1780' in New England?
The cause is believed to be smoke from forest fires in the west. There are even thoughts that it was a combination of fire smoke and fog. American Heritage cites a study by the International Journal of Wildland Fire which performed a tree ring study finding that there was a vast forest fire in southern Ontario and in other parts of Canada around this time along with drought. These conditions could make for a giant smoke cloud to pass over New England in large amounts.
Plenty of people were still very worried despite the passing of the darkness, including religious groups like the Shakers of New York. They saw this as a sign and started over two years of missionary service throughout the region to convert people to their sect of Christianity.
As fast as the dark day came and went, many were truly shaken by the event and their thoughts and fears now live in folklore and poems that were carried into the following generations.