The period of the late 19th century was a pivotal time for Halloween in America. During this era, there was a large influx of immigrants from Ireland due to the potato famine. These immigrants brought their traditions and customs with them, one of which was the celebration of Halloween.
Originally, Halloween in America was more commonly celebrated in the Southern states, and it was somewhat different from the festivities in Europe. It was often marked by 'play parties,' public events held to celebrate the harvest. Neighbors would gather to share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Ghost stories were a big part of these parties, as were mischief and pranks.
However, with the arrival of the Irish immigrants, the traditions began to change and more closely resembled the Halloween we know today. They brought with them the tradition of going door-to-door in costumes, asking for food or money, a practice that would eventually evolve into trick-or-treating.
The carving of Jack-o'-lanterns, a tradition that originated from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack who tricked the Devil, also became a popular Halloween activity during this period. But instead of carving turnips like in Ireland, people in America used pumpkins, which were more plentiful and easier to carve.
As more and more Irish immigrants arrived and spread out across the country, so too did the celebration of Halloween. By the end of the 19th century, the holiday had become firmly embedded in American culture.
By the middle of the 19th century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was still not celebrated everywhere in the country. The tradition of Halloween was brought to the forefront of American culture during the second half of the 19th century when millions of Irish immigrants came to America to escape the potato famine. They brought with them their traditions and customs, including Halloween, leading to its widespread adoption across the country.