It was 50 years ago today on November 9, 1965 at 5:16 p.m. that a minor switch at the Sir Adam Beck Generating Station in Queenston triggered a massive electrical failure that paralyzed the north-eastern United States and large areas of Ontario and Quebec. One of the largest cities to be blacked out was New York City.

At 7:00 a.m., November 10 the next day the repairs were completed and lights were turned back on and life returned to normal.

One report I read several months later was the population in the areas of the blackout increased significantly nine months later. Wonder why.