Kyla Cathey

Kyla Cathey is a freelance journalist and enormous history nerd from Galt, California. When she's not reading or writing about dead people with far more interesting lives than her own, she's generally being bossed around by her cats.

The Strange History of the New England Vampire Panic

Some families were so desperate to save their loved ones from a mysterious illness, they were willing to try anything, even exhuming them.... READ ON

9 Women Who Helped Win the American Revolution

Women played vital roles in the Revolution, serving as soldiers, raising morale, and even spying on the enemy.... READ ON

Trailblazing U.S. Law Women

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the idea of a woman in law enforcement was unheard of. At least until these women came along.... READ ON

Laura de Force Gordon, Pioneering Newspaper Publisher, Lawyer, and Suffragist

When she didn't like how men covered her campaign for Senate, she started her own paper.... READ ON

"Go For Broke": The Story Behind the Most Decorated Military Unit in U.S. History

The Japanese-American regiment that served during WWII received thousands of honors—but most just said they were doing their duty.... READ ON

Retrobituaries: Larry Itliong, Leader of One of the Nation’s Most Successful Strikes

He led farm workers to victory in California’s landmark Delano grape strike.... READ ON

Retrobituaries: Mary Katherine Horony, Independent Woman of the Wild West

She’s usually a footnote in stories about Doc Holliday and his friend Wyatt Earp, but the duo might never have even met if it weren’t for this woman.... READ ON

7 Strange Tales From the Wild West

Every time period has its strange stories, and the Wild West is no different—whether it's outlaw corpses or feral camel ghosts.... READ ON

10 Cats Who Were Famous Before the Internet

These felines—explorers, war heroes, psychics, and political figures—were celebrated long before the internet.... READ ON

Retrobituaries: Laura Bullion, The Thorny Rose of the Old West

The last surviving member of the Wild Bunch, she died in 1961.... READ ON

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