HISTORY

Demolition of a Condemned Pennsylvania Bar Reveals 18th-Century Log Cabin

When contractors peeled back the panels of a condemned bar in Pennsylvania, they didn't expect to find a colonial-era log cabin. Now, the structure will be disassembled by hand so it can be moved someplace else.

Rembrandt van Rijn

Find out about the life and art of Rembrandt van Rijn, the Dutch Golden Age’s most prolific painter.

Cannons used in the Civil War are on display at Fort Sumter.

10 Facts About Fort Sumter

The 1861 Battle of Fort Sumter sparked the American Civil War. From the garrison's 19th-century beginnings to its current use as a National Historical Park, here are 10 fascinating facts about Fort Sumter.

Nelson Mandela at a press conference the day after his prison release in February 1990.

30 Years Later: Watch Nelson Mandela’s 1990 Release from Prison

Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid activist and former South African president, was released from a life sentence on this day in 1990.

The 50-Year Journey to Solve the Murder of Harvard Student Jane Britton

Strange powder at the crime scene, rumors about Harvard’s drug crowd, and other red herrings created an investigation rife with dead ends.

History Vs. Bonus Episode: Epilogue - The Other Roosevelts

Between all of his writing, ranching, and governing, Theodore Roosevelt made time to maintain close relationships with his many family members—all of whom led vibrant, adventurous lives of their own, and also helped establish TR’s legacy. From sister Bami

Why Do We Give Chocolate For Valentine’s Day?

Chocolates have become the default Valentine’s Day gift, but the treat didn't earn its romantic reputation overnight.

The Teenage Girl Gang That Seduced and Killed Nazis

In the 1940s, sisters Freddie and Truus Oversteegen used their unassuming profile as teenagers to ambush and kill Nazis in the Netherlands.

The Sappy, Poignant, and Risqué Love Letters of 7 World Leaders

Richard Nixon was a romantic, Napoleon was a clinger, and Warren Harding turned out to be a smut peddler. Check out some of the fascinating love letters of seven world leaders.

A drawing of Anne Brontë by her sister, Charlotte Brontë.

11 Enlightening Facts About Anne Brontë

The youngest and least-understood member of the famous Brontë sisters was a bestselling novelist whose books shocked critics.

Where Do Churches Get the Ashes for Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday's surprisingly eco-friendly ash stash comes from another Christian observance known as Palm Sunday.

17 Curious Nicknames of Famous Authors

From "Turdsworth" to "Beaver" to "Dodo," here's a list of literary nicknames and how they came to be.

Why the Iowa Caucus Comes First

The Iowa caucus doesn’t always predict the presidential nominee, but it’s been an important part of the process since the 1970s.

New App Lets You Hear Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales in Original 14th-Century English

Monty Python member Terry Jones—who wrote two books on Chaucer—contributed to the app before his death in January.

joachimbago/iStock via Getty Images Plus

The Missing Person Who Joined Her Own Search Party

More than 50 people went looking for a tourist on a tour of Iceland. Turns out the missing tourist was, unwittingly, joining in the search.

Vinegar Valentines Were the Victorian Era’s Brilliant Way of Telling Unwanted Suitors to Go Away

Valentine cards are a perfect way for secret admirers to express their love—they’re also perfect for doing the opposite.

10 Timely Facts About Leap Years

We’ve been adding an extra day to February since Julius Caesar overhauled the Roman calendar and implemented leap years in 46 BCE.

Deefaze, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0

Félicette, the First Cat in Space, Finally Has a Proper Memorial in Strasbourg, France

Six decades after Félicette became the first cat to travel to space and the only cat to return alive, the history-making feline has received her own memorial.

A Colorful History of Paintball

Paintball has its origins in the 1970s, when two friends wanted to decide who was more equipped to deal with outdoor survival.

We May Have the Ancient Romans to Thank for Hamburgers

The recipe for isicia omentata in the ancient Roman cookbook Apicius consists of a minced meat patty served with bread—a.k.a. a hamburger.

Mount Vesuvius's Volcanic Eruption Turned One Victim's Brain into Glass

It's just one of several horrors that befell victims in Pompeii and Herculaneum when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE.

George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress // No Known Restrictions on Publication

Susan B. Anthony’s Childhood Home in Upstate New York Is Getting a $700,000 Renovation

The trailblazing suffragette first learned about civil inequality during several formative years in Battenville, New York.

Civil War-Era ‘Witch Bottle’ Used to Keep Evil Spirits at Bay Discovered in Virginia

The old bottle filled with rusted nails looks like trash, but it was actually used by a Union soldier to ward off evil spirits during the Civil War.

Art Historian Says 10 Works in the Louvre’s Collection Were Looted by Nazis

The artworks were seized by the Nazis after a Jewish lawyer fled his Parisian home in the early 1940s.

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