When was it published?

May 1, 1841 in New Haven Daily Herald

Domestic News May 1, 1841

New Haven Daily Herald

Q: What keywords are associated?

Aurora Borealis, Hartford, Pottery Fire, Front Street, Mistaken Sighting

New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut

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What is this article about?

Hartford residents mistook a fire at an old pottery on Front Street for an Aurora Borealis display last Saturday evening, amid thick clouds, with lights illuminating the southeast sky in various colors and nearly prompting a fire alarm.

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Aurora Borealis.—Last Saturday evening, notwithstanding the clouds were densely thick, the heavens were, a part of the time, most brilliantly illuminated. The principal light appeared in the south east, but it occasionally extended over the entire horizon, and at times exhibited a splendid variety of colors. Some of our firemen were started by the light, and came near raising an alarm. Can't some of our star-gazing neighbors tell us how it appeared there? Or do they give up to Hartford for once in the meteor line!—Hart. Courier.

We do give up for this once, that is, if the appearance seen was a real Aurora: but it is certainly a suspicious circumstance that the principal light was seen in the South East. Will our Hartford brethren favor us with a few more particulars? We apprehend that the Hartford clouds were much more transparent than ours on that occasion.

P. S. We have just discovered, by a paragraph in the Patriot and Eagle, that the Cour- ier's Aurora was the burning of an old Pot- tery in Front st. The Patriot, however, says the editor was right in the direction, South East. Wonder which way the wind was?

What sub-type of article is it?

Weather Fire

What keywords are associated?

Aurora Borealis Hartford Pottery Fire Front Street Mistaken Sighting

Where did it happen?

Hartford

Domestic News Details

Primary Location

Hartford

Event Date

Last Saturday Evening

Outcome

burning of an old pottery in front st.

Event Details

Last Saturday evening, despite dense clouds, the heavens were brilliantly illuminated, with principal light in the south east extending over the horizon in various colors, startling firemen. Initially reported as Aurora Borealis by Hart. Courier, but revealed by Patriot and Eagle to be a fire at an old Pottery on Front st., correctly directed south east.