Fun Facts About Paris
Historical Facts | July 29, 2022
Eiffel Tower with Haussmann apartment buildings in foreground, Paris, France. (Harald Nachtmann/Getty Images) Paris Is Very OldThe history of Paris dates back all the way to the 200s B.C.E., when...
Who Was John Deere? The Story Of The Man Whose Name Is On Your Riding Lawn Mower
1800s | July 27, 2022
John Deere (1804—1886), 1850s. Private collection. Artist: Anonymous. (Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images) It would be easy to...
The Fairy Cats Of Celtic Mythology
Ancient History | July 22, 2022
Stray cat In Thessaloniki. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images) We know that the Ancient Egyptians worshiped cats, and indeed, most domesticated cats walk around like they ex...
Interesting Facts About Iceland
Historical Facts | July 20, 2022
Vik i Myrdal, Southern Iceland. Fields of lupins in bloom and the town church. (Marco Bottigelli/Getty Images) It Was Uninhabited For A Long TimeIt may be impossible to know when Icelan...
A Short History Of Firefighters
Historical Facts | July 18, 2022
Firemen fighting blaze with hose. (Ted Horowitz/Getty Images) Humanity's control of fire may date as far back as 400,000 years and is often cited as the first step toward civilization, ...
Swiss Army Knives Were Once Made In Germany
1800s | July 15, 2022
The original Swiss Army Knife that was made in Germany. (Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post via Getty Images) A favorite tool of survivalists, hunters, and Boy Scouts, the Swis...
Who Was T.E. Lawrence, A.K.A. Lawrence Of Arabia?
1900s | July 13, 2022
Thomas Edward Lawrence, 1927. (Bettmann/Getty Images) Thomas Edward Lawrence was born on August 16, 1888 in North Wales as the illegitimate son of Sir Thomas Chapman. ...
Alaska: Amazing Facts About The Last Frontier
Historical Facts | July 11, 2022
USA, Alaska, Denali National Park, grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) standing, looking at rainbow, rear view. (Johnny Johnson/Getty Images) The Bering Land BridgeScientists esti...
Soapy Smith: When A Slippery Con Man Got His Comeuppance
1800s | July 8, 2022
Jefferson "Soapy" Smith stands at the bar of his saloon in Skagway, Alaska, shortly before being killed on July 8, 1898. (Photo by Peiser/Library of Congress/Corb...
Who Discovered That The Earth Is Round?
Ancient History | July 6, 2022
A view of Earth from the Space Shuttle Discovery shows late afternoon sun on the Andes Mountains, with glare and heavy cloud illumination. (Bettmann/Getty Images) Saying the Ear...
Born – And Died – On The Fourth Of July
Historical Facts | July 4, 2022
President Coolidge standing on the south lawn of the White House. (Bettmann/Getty Images) To be "born on the Fourth of July" is to be considered as patriotic as they come, s...
Richard M. Johnson, The Most Colorful Vice President Of The 1800s
1800s | July 1, 2022
Richard M. Johnson (1781–1850), soldier and political leader, Vice President under Van Buren, 1837–1841. (Bettmann/Getty Images) The United States has ...
Things You Never Knew Were Invented In New York City
Historical Facts | June 29, 2022
A lady wearing a protective mask looks trough a shop window with toilet paper rolls displayed as a pyramid. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) New York City is...
Sigmund Freud: Rare Facts About The Famed Psychoanalyst
People | June 27, 2022
Sigmund Freud, 1856-1939, Austrian psychiatrist, in the office of his Vienna home looking at a manuscript. (Bettmann/Getty Images) His Big Hit Was Initially A Du...
The "Ugly Wife," Anne Of Cleves
Medieval History | June 24, 2022
Anne of Cleves (1518-1557), circa 1550. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images) In his crazed quest for male heirs, King Henry VIII of England famously married six women, the luckiest of whom was...
City of Angels: Essential Facts About Los Angeles
Historical Facts | June 22, 2022
Los Angeles illuminated against sky at night. (Paul Meneshian/EyeEm/Getty) Origins Of AngelsLos Angeles was officially founded on September 4, 1781, though it was then...
Why You Don't Know About The Deadliest Fire In U.S. History
1800s | June 17, 2022
People seeking refuge in the Peshtigo River, 1871. (G. J. Tisdale/Wikimedia Commons) The deadliest wildfire in U.S. history claimed approximately 2,500 lives...
Chicago: Fun Facts About The Windy City
Historical Facts | June 15, 2022
View of cityscape with fantastic light and colors of sky against skyscraper. (Aurimas Adomavicius/Getty Images) It's Named After A Stinky OnionThe third-most populous city in th...
The Obscenity Trial Of "Lady Chatterley's Lover"
1960s | June 13, 2022
On the London Underground, a commuter reads a copy of D H Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover," unaware of the fellow passengers surreptitiously reading over his shoulder...
From Napoleon To Kate Middleton, The Breton Shirt Has A Long And Noble History
1800s | June 10, 2022
Breton shirt of the French Navy. (Claude TRUONG-NGOC/Wikimedia Commons) It's rare for a garment of utilitarian origin to become something ...
The Sportsman's Friend: Television's First Celebrity Fisherman
1950s | June 6, 2022
Bill Dance, Roland Martin, Babe Winkelman, and the slew of other T.V. fishermen owe a debt of gratitude to Harold Ensley. He was the creator and host of ...
This Day In History: Construction Begins On The Crazy Horse Memorial
1940s | June 3, 2022
A medium close up left side view of the Crazy Horse National Monument under construction, in the Black Hill of South Dakota. (U.S. National Archives/P...
The Story Of The Six Flags Of Texas
Historical Facts | June 1, 2022
Texas State Capitol Dome and Flags. (Bo Zaunders/Getty Images) With nearly 30 parks across North America, Six Flags Theme Parks is one of the most popular amusement park destination...
That Hagen Girl: The Shirley Temple–Ronald Reagan Movie With The Eww-Factor Ending
1940s | May 30, 2022
As child actress Shirley Temple progressed through her teenage years, she was no longer believable as a precocious dancing tot, but...
Lesser-Known Facts About Thomas Jefferson
People | May 27, 2022
Thomas Jefferson drafting Declaration of Independence; painting by N.C. Wyeth. (Bettmann/Getty Images) Thomas Jefferson: Pirate FighterSure, Thomas Jefferson was a U.S. foundi...
Going Out With A Bang: Babe Ruth Hits His Last Homer
1930s | May 25, 2022
Babe Ruth in uniform for the Boston Braves on March 17, 1935. (Bettmann/Getty Images) On May 25, 1935, the great Babe Ruth hit his 712th, 713th, and 714th career ho...
Guinness Records And Guinness Beer: 5 Companies You Never Realized Were Related
Historical Facts | May 23, 2022
A view of two pints of Guinness, in Dublin's pub. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Beer And TriviaThe Guinness World Records came ...
The Homestead Act Of 1862 And The Failure Of Free Land
1800s | May 20, 2022
Covered wagon and settlers crossing the West c. 1850 (Apic/Getty Images) On May 20, 1862, President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act of 1862 into law, essentially...
Kit Carson: Hero Of The Old West
1800s | May 18, 2022
American scout, trapper and Indian agent, Christopher 'Kit' Carson (1809–1868). (MPI/Getty Images) If you remember your grade school geography drills, you know the capital of Nevada is...
Heinrich Himmler, Architect Of The Holocaust
World War II | May 16, 2022
German Nazi leader and chief of police Heinrich Himmler speaks from Town Hall in Linz, Austria, 1938. (Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) Heinrich Hi...
