American English Podcast 207.2 - The Great Molasses Flood of 1919
Mar 4, 2026
A bizarre 1919 industrial disaster in Boston and how a giant molasses tank failed. The story explores why molasses shipments kept coming and Prohibition's surprising role. Learn about construction flaws, rescue chaos in syrupy streets, and the legal battle that followed. Discover how the tragedy changed building inspections and safety rules.
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Massive Molasses Tank In Boston North End
- A giant steel tank in Boston's North End held 2.3 million gallons of molasses used for industrial alcohol production.
- The tank was 50 feet tall and 90 feet wide, built quickly in 1915 and located near dense, working-class streets full of horses and carts.
Prohibition Drove Molasses Stockpiling
- Molasses shipments were stockpiled after WWI because companies expected Prohibition to raise molasses value for both industrial alcohol and illegal bootleg liquor.
- Companies anticipated demand for fermenting molasses into rum, so shipments from Puerto Rico and Cuba kept arriving.
Leaking Tank Was Painted Over Instead Of Fixed
- The tank leaked from the start and residents heard groaning and creaking as molasses seeped from seams, but the company hid leaks by painting the tank brown.
- Children collected dripping molasses from seams, signaling obvious ongoing structural problems the company ignored.