And then a wet, brown hell broke loose, flooding downtown Boston.

Go see Eric Postpischil's Molasses Disaster Pages and read all about the explosion of a two million gallon tank of molasses.

And while your there, enjoy a glass of sweet, sticky, fermented irony:

As the rescue workers and clean-up crews tackled the incredible mess the night of January 16, they paused in puzzlement at the sudden ringing of church bells all over downtown Boston. Nebraska had voted on the 18th Amendment and ratified it. Prohibition was law, and churches which had campaigned for it in their pulpits now celebrated. Men up to their ankles in the makings of rum listened for a moment and went back to work.

Frankly, I'm shocked I've never heard of this before. It seems like this event should be common knowledge.