Longmeadow and the March 1888 Blizzard

March 12, 1888
Main Street
Springfield, Massachusetts

The March 1888 Blizzard stopped everyday activities everywhere on the East Coast!  This blizzard is also now known as "The Great White Hurricane".  What began as rain on March 11, 1888 turned to snow and then heavy snow fell and continued the next day.  There were at least 40 inches of snow on the ground and large snow drifts, so moving around was very difficult.  It was difficult for foot travel and also for railroad travel. In nearby Springfield, MA the city residents were getting hungry.  They also relied on milk for their families from the local farms.

The Longmeadow resident and farmer Charles S. Allen was the President of the Springfield (Mass.) Cooperative Milk Association.  During this blizzard the local cows were producing milk, but the farmers had no way to get the supply to their customers in the city.  Mr. Allen found a solution with help from others including members of the Cooperative Milk Association. About 50 men carved a path from Longmeadow to Springfield shoveling the snow drifts.  Horses, oxen and sleds were then able to bring milk deliveries to Springfield. 

After they completed this task the men then proceeded to dig out a path to the railway station in Longmeadow.  Stranded down at the railway station was Longmeadow resident Daniel Erskine Burbank and four other people. They had been "snowed in" there for two days during the blizzard.  These men had not been able to get back up to the main street that we now know as Longmeadow Street.  Being rescued from the Longmeadow station was such a noteworthy event that this fact was stated in Mr. Burbank's obituary in 1914 when he died at the age of 88 years.

This blizzard in March of 1888 made life difficult for people of all ages.                        

Sources:  Boston Herald-  Dec 10, 1884, Springfield Republican- Mar 15, 1888 and Nov 17, 1914.     
Photo:  Courtesy of Wood Museum of Springfield History at Springfield Museums, Springfield, MA