Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis)
1780 - THE DARK DAY OF 1780

Immortalized by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), the poem entitled “Abraham Davenport,” vividly described this celebrated weather event that occurred over New England on May 19th. It was a day so dark that: “Birds ceased to sing, and all the barnyard fowls roosted; the cattle at the pasture bars lowed, and looked homeward. ” During colonial times, days when candles were required to perform noontime chores occurred in 1680, 1685, 1706, 1716, 1727, 1743, and 1762, but none brought such fear and reverence as that of the dark day of 1780. The mysterious obscuration was first reported at dawn over southwest Vermont, and it slowly traveled southeastward during the day. The place to last report this strange weather was Barnstable, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, in the late afternoon. In Boston, the atmosphere darkened perceptibly after 9 a.m., until the reading of the newsprint became difficult outdoors. Many New Englanders believed that the Judgment Day was at hand. The cause was later attributed to a combination of an extremely dark overcast mixed with thick smoke from nearby forest fires, as well as to fright and superstition.

Top ELEVEN Most Memorable Weather Events
Farmers' Almanac
www.farmersalmanac.com/ weather/ 2007/ 12/ 21/ top-eleven-most-memorable-weather-events/



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