Molasses

Inspiration

What it doesThis website is an immersive digital memorial and educational experience dedicated to the Great Molasses Flood of January 15, 1919 - one of Boston's most bizarre yet tragic disasters. The site focuses on preserving the memory of the 21 people who died and 150 who were injured when a massive molasses storage tank exploded in Boston's North End, creating a deadly 35-mph wave of molasses.

The website serves multiple purposes: it educates visitors about this lesser-known historical tragedy, honors the victims (many of whom were Italian immigrants and their children), and demonstrates how corporate negligence led to groundbreaking changes in engineering safety standards. Through interactive simulations, authentic survivor testimonies, documented timelines, and comprehensive source citations, the site transforms what might seem like an absurd accident into a compelling story of human tragedy, heroic rescue efforts, and legal precedent.

I chose this story because it represents the untold experiences of working-class immigrant communities whose suffering led to important safety reforms we still benefit from today. The disaster highlights themes of corporate responsibility, community resilience, and the often-overlooked costs of rapid industrial development in early 20th-century America.

How we built it

Challenges we ran into

Accomplishments that we're proud of

What we learned

What's next for Molasses

Built With

• react
• tailwind
• typescript
• vite