“1800 and Froze to Death” Talk with Author Howard Coffin in Reading

Reading Historical Society invites you to attend our speaker’s program presented by speaker and author Howard Coffin.

The year 1816 has long been known as the year without summer. Vermonters still call it “1800 and Froze to Death,” a year of frosts every month, dark skies, and mysterious lights that caused a widespread belief that a higher power was displeased.

In this talk, historian Howard Coffin includes scores of anecdotes about the dark year of failed crops, scarce food, and religious revival. The horrible weather also came in the aftermath of the War of 1812, which produced shortages and an economic crisis.

This is a Vermont Humanities Council event hosted by the Reading Historical Society.