The Secret Pneumatic Subway: Beach vs Tweed
byAlthough it only lasted one year, in 1789, New York City was once celebrated as the first capital of the United States. Today, the city is recognized by many as…
US-Industrial United States (1870-1900)
From a Museum to a World Renown Circus: The Creations of P.T. Barnum
byIn May 2017, a historic event happened: Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus shut down. Almost two centuries ago, it was created by the well-known P. T. Barnum. It…
The Johnstown Flood of 1889: A Preventable Disaster
byWhat comes to mind when you hear the word “geology”? Do you think of a scientist in a lab coat? Do you envision an explorer on some mountain top? Does…
H. H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer
byHerman Webster Mudgett, commonly known as H. H. Holmes, was born in 1861 in New Hampshire.1 Mudgett was born into an affluent family and lived a very privileged life as…
Hidden By Hollywood: The Lost Tales of Bass Reeves
byThe late afternoon heat buzzed in waves across Oklahoma, passing over a Chickasaw County farmer by the name of “Bateman,” steering a workhorse through fields of colorful crops including endless…
Protection for Our Children: The Mary Ellen Wilson Case
by“The frail child in the tattered dress stands next to a large carved wooden chair, her hand resting on the arm for support. A large gash runs from her forehead…
Nellie Bly Uncovers The Secrets of Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum
byOur idea of adventure today might be a road trip to a new destination, or simply getting on a terrifying roller coaster. However, what we envision never seems to include…
“Get to Fightin or get away”: The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
byIt’s a quite October morning in 1881 in a small mining town in Arizona, when suddenly the sound of gunshots fills the air; two shots, then a pause, the town…
“Fleet”: The Story of the First African American Catcher
byMoses “Fleet” Walker was born on October 7, 1857 in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. His parents were Reverend Moses W. Walker, M.D. and Caroline Maria Simpson. Moses was the fifth oldest…