 At 17 : 00 UTC on September 16 , the storm made landfall near East Hampton , New York with winds of 80 mph ( 130 km / h ) . About an hour later , it struck again just west of Groton , Connecticut with winds of 75 mph ( 120 km / h ) . Early on September 17 , the system weakened to a tropical storm and dissipated over the Gulf of Saint Lawrence several hours later . Parts of this storm were first described by David M. Ludlum , who called it The New England Tropical Storm of 1858 . However , barometer readings taken at Sag Harbor , New York and Providence , Rhode Island , along with ship reports and wind speeds recorded at Bangor , Maine and Nantucket , Massachusetts , conclude that the system reached hurricane intensity . In Maine , strong gales occurred , with Bangor reported having " one of the heaviest in years . " Trees and chimneys toppled throughout the southeastern portions of the state . There was also minor damage to shipping in Belfast . 
