It was the darkest day ever recorded in the United States: on May 19, 1780, it got so dark in the middle of the day that New England was plunged into complete darkness. This wasn’t just a legend; the event was thoroughly documented by universities and scientists.
That day, the sky darkened starting at dawn, stretching from New Jersey to Maine, including New York and Massachusetts. By noon, total darkness had settled, according to eyewitness accounts from that time. The people, left in the dark, had to light candles to see, and the sky didn’t clear until the following night.
It wasn’t a true “nightfall” in the middle of the day, but rather a series of weather events that caused it. Contrary to what one might think, there wasn’t an eclipse that day, and even if there had been one, it wouldn’t have lasted the entire day.
An illustration of the dark day drawn at the time. © Historic Ipswich on the Massachusetts North Shore
The Day of Judgment or a Natural Phenomenon?
This so-called “Dark Day” was the result of several natural phenomena: an unusually large wildfire and a thick fog that appeared independently. Scientists investigating the event discovered signs of a major forest fire in the tree rings from that year. The fire is believed to have originated in Ontario, Canada, specifically in Algonquin Provincial Park, just north of New England.
The people of 1780 couldn’t comprehend the cause of this strange event, so they attributed it to their sins, thinking it was “the day of judgment.”
Additional evidence of the fire is found in historical accounts: people reported seeing a red moon several days before the dark day—a phenomenon often associated with ash smoke clouds.
Karine Durand
Specialist for extreme weather and environment
A specialist in extreme weather phenomena and environmental issues, this journalist and TV host has been explaining climate topics since 2009. With over 15 years of experience in both French and American media, she is also an international speaker.
Trained in communication and environmental sciences, primarily in the United States, she shares her passion for vast natural landscapes and the impacts of climate change through her work on biodiversity and land management.
