Question: In light of recent weather in Massachusetts I am reminded of hearing of big storms in the 18th and 19th century. Can you tell me the years of some of these other blizzards that troubled our ancestors here in New England?
Answer: One of the earliest recorded storms leaving up to four feet in snow was recorded in 1717. However there are a variety of great winter storms from 1717-1898 and later are chronicled online at: http://nsidc.org/snow/blizzard/storms.html
My grandmother mentioned in detail her parents speaking of the great blizzard of March 1888, as vivid as I will remember the blizzard of 1978.