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In colonial times and infant America, superstitions
prevailed. Biblical stories and oral tradition led most to believe that the
will of God was sternly acted upon in many ways. It was widely held that natural
disasters were a punitive act of God; that the community deserved to be punished for
some wicked or immoral activity by a town's citizen or citizens.
A strange phenomena occurred in New England in 1780,
which for many years remained unexplained. The residents of Boston
undoubtedly believed this natural event as an omen caused by God. The
following is an account of the Dark Day as described in 1905:
"On May 12, 1780, a remarkable darkness overspread all
New England, varying in intensity in different places. In some sections
persons could not read printed matter in the open air. Birds become silent
and went to rest; barn yard fowls went to roost, and cattle sought their
accustomed evening resorts. Houses were lighted with candles, and nearly all
out-of-doors work was suspended. The obscuration began at ten o'clock in the
morning and continued until night. The cause of the darkness has never been
revealed. The air was unclouded."
An earlier 1873 description is as follows: "1780. May 19.
Darkness prevailed at noon-day throughout New England, said to be caused by
smoke from great fires in the woods in Maine and New Hampshire. Many people
greatly frightened. A Mr. Willard went on to Boston Common to make
observations; while there, a crowd collected, and presently a man came up in
breathless haste, saying 'The tide has ceased to flow.' 'So it has for
to-day,' said Mr. W. pulling out his watch, 't is past twelve o'clock!"
According to
Wikipedia,
the Dark Day was caused by a huge forest fire in Ontario, Canada, with scars
in tree rings in Algonquin Provincial Park connoting that a large forest
fire had occurred during that time.
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