In the spring of 1977 my parents moved from Manhattan to Westchester. I turned 6 that June and shortly after that came the blackout, which we missed. I don’t even recall anyone talking about it though the rest of my relatives experienced it first-hand in Manhattan.
Reason I bring it up is PBS is airing a documentary about the ’77 blackout tonight.
Check it out.
[Photo Credit: Credit Bolivar Arellano, via PBS]
Wasn't there another blackout about 10 or 15 years before? I recall one as a teenager, but I was in DC by 77.
[1] Yes, it was November 9, 1965.
It's featured in this episode of the series Connections:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vckNthlkrW8
I first saw it in the 6th grade and it freaked me out.
It's freaky watching it now for a whole different set of reasons...
[1] There was a blackout in '67 I think. It extended throughout the Northeast.
3) I think you're right!
I have a slightly different memory from living in the same town you were in (natch).
Back then in Westchester, "the news" was NYC news (no Cablevision, and the daily papers were all still little independents that Gannett hadn't glommed together yet). I remember the blackout being a prominent real-time topic on TV and in person. I was just shy of turning nine.
I even remember hearing it start: It was a lightning strike on a substation in Buchanan, about 5 miles from my house, that started the whole cascade.
I have a distinct memory of sitting in my bedroom, hearing the boom, thinking "THAT was a big one," and not long after the news reports started coming in. In retrospect it may not have been the actual lightning bolt, but it was definitely the same storm.
Thanks for tipping to the PBS show!