In the Footsteps of Daniel Boone
March 27, 2015 – Inspired by the travels of his fifth-great grandfather, Michigan mill worker Curtis Penix hiked nearly 240 miles through Appalachian terrain to the site of Fort Boonesborough in northern Kentucky. Penix, 46, walked 16 days along Boone Trace, a winding trail originally cleared by famous frontiersman Daniel Boone and the axe-wielding men accompanying […]
Prototype of U.S. Penny Sells for $1.175 Million
March 27, 2015 – A prototype of the first American penny has been purchased at a Baltimore auction by an anonymous buyer. The 1792 Birch penny, one of only seven such pennies known to exist, sold for $1.175 million. Another Birch penny sold at a Florida auction in January for $2.585 million, purchased by a Beverly Hills dealer in rare coins. […]
The World’s First Supermodel
March 26, 2015 – Evelyn Nesbit was the most sought-after model of the early 20th century, sitting for artists and illustrators before dominating the newly emerging fashion photography industry. Nesbit, born in Pennsylvania in 1884, began modeling in her early teens to support her family after the death of her father. The Nesbits moved to […]
California Redwoods Given New Life in England
March 23, 2015 – Sequoias, also known as coastal redwoods or California redwoods, are the tallest living things on earth. An ambitious project is underway in Cornwall, England, to grow these giant trees from saplings cloned in the United States. The environmental conditions in southwestern England are similar to northern California. Among the saplings being transplanted are those […]
Discovery of 124-Year-Old Patent Settles Toilet Paper Debate
March 20, 2015 – A tweet of an 1891 patent drawing has settled the “over or under” toilet paper debate. New York businessman Seth Wheeler invented and patented the first perforated toilet paper and his written descriptions accompanied by illustrations are conclusive. Link: AOL Additional Photos (click thumbnails to enlarge) [divider]
The Mane Attraction
March 20, 2015 – Horse diving was a common death-defying act in America in the 1920s. Horses, often with riders on their backs, launched themselves from high platforms into pools or bodies of water, to the delight of crowds in Atlantic City and in circuses traveling across the country. The stunt continued to be performed until the late 1970s. Additional Photos (click thumbnails to enlarge) [divider]
Haunted Prison
March 20, 2015 – Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary, once home to notorious gangster Al Capone, is believed by some to be one of the most haunted places in America and home to the souls of former inmates. Besides warehousing the prisoners in cramped cells, the guards often carried out severe punishments, including solitary confinement for all inmates, which some […]
Gangster Paradise
March 20, 2015 – A 1922 Miami Beach waterfront mansion where Al Capone died in 1947 is undergoing a $1.75 million restoration to return the property to its original magnificence. The notorious gangster purchased the 30,000-square-foot estate in 1928 for $40,000. The current owner paid $8 million. Link: WashPost Additional Photos (click thumbnails to enlarge) [divider]
Lincoln Assassination Exhibit
March 18, 2015 – The Derringer pistol used to shoot Abraham Lincoln, a bloodied flag, his top hat, and the garments used to cradle the mortally wounded president’s head are some of the items being displayed in a new exhibit entitled “Silent Witnesses: Artifacts of the Lincoln Assassination.” It offers an unprecedented look at that fateful event of […]
B-29 Over Los Angeles
March 17, 2015 – Los Angeles motorists and residents were surprised to see a B-29 Superfortress flying low over the city. The restored World War II bomber, the type that dropped atom bombs on Japan in 1945, is on a nationwide tour giving flights. The view from the gunner’s seat costs just under $600. Add another $500 […]