The Great Blizzard of 1888: The storm that sent us underground
WASHINGTON (Amazing America) — If you thought the winter of 2026 was bad, imagine living through the worst storm ever in the United States. Today, our cities and towns might shut down with even a foot of snow. Well, how about 55 inches — probably higher than your kitchen sink. There were even reports of 50-foot snowdrifts, which covered the windows of two-story buildings and beyond.
The massive snowstorm blanketed the entire Northeastern United States and changed America forever. Amazing America’s Kevin Kotwas shows us how.
The storm paralyzed major cities like New York City and Boston and stopped transportation in its tracks. Around 15,000 people were trapped on trains that were stuck for days, and food deliveries were impossible. Over the course of the three-day blizzard in March 1888, more than 24 million cubic yards of snow fell, and more than 400 people lost their lives. Some 15,000 people were trapped on trains for days.
This natural disaster exposed major flaws in the transportation and communication infrastructure of cities. In response, the country’s first subway systems were built in New York City and Boston. Telegraph — and later electrical — lines were also buried. Other big cities would follow suit, including Washington, D.C., which now has the third-largest subway system in the country.
And while New York and Chicago have the largest subway systems, you will have to take a ride on DC's Metro system to find the longest single-span escalator in the Western Hemisphere. Amazing America’s Alise Valdes checks it out,
So next time you’re on a subway train or charging your phone, remember the comforts of today were sparked by a catastrophic blizzard more than a century ago.
For more amazing stories, click here to subscribe to Amazing America TV on YouTube and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
