In March 1888, a deadly blizzard clobbered New York City. The snow paralyzed the city—trains stood still for days, telegraph services stopped functioning, and even after the snow stopped, flooding from the melting caused widespread damage.
New York City and the East Coast are preparing for another historic storm, but at least they won’t have to rely on horse-drawn carriages to clear all the white stuff.
In 1888, New York City couldn’t just slap plows on the front of garbage trucks. Image: Public DomainSnow blocks the entrance to a store. Image: Library of Congress, Public DomainImage: Brooklyn Museum, No restrictions, via Wikimedia CommonsImage: Public domainImage: Breading G. Way, No restrictionsA view toward Wall Street during the Great Blizzard of 1888. Image: Brown Brothers, Public domainA grocer digs out the front of his store while a child looks on. Image: Public domainThe Brooklyn Bridge. Image: Wallace G. Levison, Public domainBrooklyn brownstones buried in snow. Image: NOAA Photo Library/Historic NWS Collection, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsFulton Street toward ferry after plowing. Much of the snow was cleared by hand into horse-draw carriages. Image: PPOC, Library of Congress, Public domainA newspaper cover illustration showing a scene in Printing-House Square during the Great Blizzard of 1888. Image: Original work of the US Federal Government – Library of Congress, Public Domain Library of CongressStatue of George Washington standing in front of the Sub-Treasury Building (now Federal Hall National Memorial) on Wall Street in New York City’s financial district. Image: PPOC, Library of Congress, Public domain Library of CongressWorkers dig out trains at Grand Central Depot on 45th Street. Image: Public Domain
