If you’ve spent enough time in Maine, you’ve probably heard someone refer to times past as “1800 and froze to death.” As in, “the last time I saw her was 1800 and froze to death!” While it might be used as a funny way to refer to a very, very long time ago the phrase comes from a very real time in Maine’s history. The year 1816 is also referred to as the “Year Without a Summer” in Maine or “The Starvation Year.” It was during this time that the summer months saw snow and ice.
A typical June day in Maine might look something like this, but a volcanic eruption thousands of miles away changed that in 1816.
drewtarvin / Flickr
The largest volcanic eruption in history took place on Sumbawa island in Indonesia on April 9, 1815.
NASA Expedition 20 crew. - Image and and English description: Mount Tambora Volcano, Sumbawa Island, Indonesia, NASA Earth Observatory. 2nd version
As early as May of that year, temperatures in Brunswick were measured at only 25 degrees.
Arthur Rothstein / Library of Congress
In June, Portland’s thermometers went from 84 to 34 degrees overnight.
Marion Post Wolcott / Library of Congress
Bangor got two inches of snow, while Madawaska received an incredibly nine inches and snow fell for days across the state.
pdbratcher / Flickr
With a frost that lasted the entire summer and into September, crops were decimated.
Jenz Campe / Flickr
Without any reason to believe this summer would be any different than others, sheep shearing took place which meant farmers had to find a way to keep the flock warm! Some wore their own fleeces!
zutaten / Flickr
In places like Maine, a shortage of crops meant high prices and a serious hunger problem. Many say that without ample fishing and wild game, Mainers would have starved to death.
Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF347-041700 With no workable land, farming stopped.
Maine saw a migration of citizens to the Midwest, which has been called “Ohio Fever.”
Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041848 In fact, Ohio Street in Bangor got its name because it was the main route out of town!
There was little to do, but wait and watch while hoping for conditions to change.
ack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041790
The US wasn’t the only country to be affected by the Indonesian volcano.
Scan of a print. Original housed at the National Portrait Gallery: NPG 1235 Authors Lord Byron and Mary Shelly had planned a summer holiday in Switzerland in 1816. But, due to the weather Shelly was forced to remain indoors for much of that time. There was some good to come of this. It was during this time that she penned her famous novel, Frankenstein!
During the year without a summer, many feared the end of the world and turned to prayer for help.
brizzlebornandbred / Flickr It took climate experts nearly 150 years to determine that the end of the world was not eminent.
As we now know, Maine was experiencing a “volcanic winter” which caused sulfur dioxide to form aerosols in the stratosphere, blocking solar radiation and resulting in winter-like conditions.
In time, things got back to normal, but Mainers have not forgotten the “Year Without a Summer.”
ack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF347-042054
This wasn’t the only weather disaster in Maine. Does anyone remember the year 1969 and the absolutely miserable blizzard that took Maine by surprise? Check it out here.
drewtarvin / Flickr
NASA Expedition 20 crew. - Image and and English description: Mount Tambora Volcano, Sumbawa Island, Indonesia, NASA Earth Observatory. 2nd version
Arthur Rothstein / Library of Congress
Marion Post Wolcott / Library of Congress
pdbratcher / Flickr
Jenz Campe / Flickr
zutaten / Flickr
Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF347-041700
With no workable land, farming stopped.
Jack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041848
In fact, Ohio Street in Bangor got its name because it was the main route out of town!
ack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF34-041790
Scan of a print. Original housed at the National Portrait Gallery: NPG 1235
Authors Lord Byron and Mary Shelly had planned a summer holiday in Switzerland in 1816. But, due to the weather Shelly was forced to remain indoors for much of that time. There was some good to come of this. It was during this time that she penned her famous novel, Frankenstein!
brizzlebornandbred / Flickr
It took climate experts nearly 150 years to determine that the end of the world was not eminent.
As we now know, Maine was experiencing a “volcanic winter” which caused sulfur dioxide to form aerosols in the stratosphere, blocking solar radiation and resulting in winter-like conditions.
ack Delano / Library of Congress LC-USF347-042054
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