January 19, 1810

On January 19, 1810, the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire experienced its greatest drop in temperature ever recorded. On Thursday afternoon, January 18, it was a balmy 48 degrees Fahrenheit. By daybreak on Friday morning, January 19, 1810, the temperature had bottomed out to a negative 9 degrees Fahrenheit. People and livestock actually froze to death over the 18 hours of this intense drop in temperature. In New Hampshire, this became known as the ‘Cold Friday’ and for decades, when ‘Cold Friday’ was mentioned, people knew exactly what was meant. Also, it should be noted that after the Cold Friday, the New Hampshire North Shore towns of Arkham, Innsmouth, Kingsport and Dunwich would soon experience an increase in strange birth defects, odd psychotic behavior from eccentric rich families involved in the shipping industry, and the  disappearance of townfolk who lived close to the tributaries that fed into the North Atlantic Ocean.

About Joel Byers

Born in North Georgia and educated at some very fine public institutions. Real education started after graduating from college and then getting married and raising two boys. Has the ability to see the funny and absurd in most things and will always remark on it, even if it means getting the stink-eye from his victims.
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