ANSON — On the morning of May 28, 1900, hundreds flocked to the small town of Wadesboro, eager to glimpse the rare sighting of a total solar eclipse.
In addition to enthusiastic attendees, scientists the world over led scientific expeditions to the tiny southern town that had briefly gained status as a scientific wonder. For on that blistering day in May, Wadesboro lay in the sun’s path of eclipse totality.
Scientific entities present for the rare event included the University of Chicago, the Smithsonian, Princeton University, and the British Astronomical Association, among many others.
Trains brought in hundreds of people to view totality. Much as it does today, capitalization reigned supreme in early 1900 America, and the eclipse was no different. Jumping on the bandwagon, an excursion train from Charlotte barreled into Wadesboro, ferrying those fortunate enough to purchase a ticket on the special train.
Determined to be the best place to view the coming eclipse, the streets of Wadesboro were lined with spectators as effects from the eclipse became visible at 7:30 a.m. Believing a better vantage point might be gained with height, many spectators craned their heads out of windows, or clamored onto the rooftop of the buildings that lined downtown. Electrifying anticipation coursed through the gathered crowd, as viewers stood with their gaze transfixed on the sky.
Totality was reached at 1:54 p.m. and lasted for two minutes and ten seconds.
Mingled in among the crowd of eager eclipse viewers, was a reporter with the Anson Independent, who reported a significant, and welcome, drop in temperature during the eclipse.
According to a paper published on www.nc.gov, two previous attempts by the scientific community to view a solar eclipse during a rare totality event were unsuccessful. The Wadesboro eclipse widely became seen as a shot at redemption by scientists, excited to succeed in photographing the solar corona. Previous scientific expeditions to view a total eclipse occurred in 1896, when weather conditions prevented viewing, and also in 1898 when a plague affecting the area prevented entry.
This rare event will again be visible in North Carolina, though Wadesboro will not be a focal point for enthusiasts or scientists. Anson County will not be in the path of totality this time around, though the eclipse will appear as a partial solar eclipse to those in North Carolina during the Monday, March 8, 2024 eclipse. The eclipse will be visible across North America, passing through Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Texas, where skies are expected to be clear, is widely touted as having the biggest view of this year’s eclipse. Visible effects from the eclipse will be seen in the Anson County area starting at 2 p.m. and ending at 4 p.m. Monday afternoon.
