HISTORY

Library of Congress Has Digitized 100 Rare and Classic Children’s Books

Early versions of 'Humpty Dumpty,' 'Red Riding Hood,' 'The Secret Garden,' and 'The Story of the Three Little Pigs' are just a few of the titles that can now be read online for free.

Fighting Words: The Navajo Code Talkers of World War II

During World War II, the Marine Corps turned to the Navajos and their complex language to create a code no one could crack.

5 Fast Facts About Ruth Asawa

Ruth Asawa, the subject of May 1's Google Doodle, overcame adversity and changed the art world with her wire sculpture techniques.

Fire Destroys Parts of Ashdown Forest, the Woods That Inspired Winnie the Pooh

Ashdown Forest in Sussex, UK, the real-life place A.A. Milne used as inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood in 'Winnie the Pooh,' caught fire on April 28.

Why Were Dinosaurs So Large and Why Don't Animals of That Scale Exist Today?

Why aren't elephants and giraffes the size of brontosauruses and other dinosaurs that we know were enormous?

The Charmed Life and Tragic Death of Snake Handler Grace Olive Wiley

Grace Olive Wiley was an unconventional herpetologist whose love affair with snakes—and resistance to safety standards—would end up costing her her life.

Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

The Time Joan Rivers Took Judge Judy and Cindy Adams on An 18th-Century Girlfriend Getaway

One of Joan Rivers's favorite vacation spots wasn't a tropical beach or a ritzy villa—it was Colonial Williamsburg.

16 Spooky-as-Hell Photos From Inside Chernobyl

With a Geiger counter and the right permits, visitors can enter Chernobyl's 18-mile Zone of Exclusion. What they'll encounter is straight out of a horror movie.

Suranne Jones stars as Anne Lister in HBO's Gentleman Jack.

The True Story Behind Gentleman Jack: 10 Facts About Anne Lister

Anne Lister was a businesswoman, a mountaineer, a world traveler, and a science enthusiast. But it’s her love life that she’s mainly remembered for today.

The Time the U.S. Government Planned to Nuke Alaska

In 1958, the Atomic Energy Commission decided to boost fishing commerce in Alaska by detonating a 1-megaton nuclear bomb to create a deep-water harbor. Residents were not amused.

Vermont and Maine Are Replacing Columbus Day With Indigenous Peoples' Day

Vermont and Maine are the latest states reconsidering Christopher Columbus's legacy by voting to permanently replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day.

A Ring Containing a Lock of Charlotte Brontë’s Hair Found Its Way to Antiques Roadshow

It's not every day that you find a 19th-century ring worth $26,000 in your attic—especially one that contains a literary legend's hair.

Mastodon Bones Have Been Discovered by Sewer Workers in Indiana

Sewer workers in Seymour, Indiana came across a peculiar discovery while digging on a farm. Bones belonging to a mastodon that date back to the Ice Age were buried there.

Hidden Labyrinth: England's Drakelow Tunnels

Built in the 1940s to provide bomb shelter for an airplane engine factory during World War II, the Drakelow Tunnels have become a destination for people looking for paranormal activity.

By Vigilius Eriksen, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

12 Amazing Facts About Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great was one of the most important leaders in its history—and no, she didn't die after trying to have sex with a horse.

7 Surprising Facts About Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen once stayed with Charles Dickens. By the end of the five-week visit, Dickens was so exasperated with Andersen he ended the friendship.

Diliff, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

10 Amazing Facts About Buckingham Palace

For almost two centuries, the reigning monarchs of the United Kingdom have used Buckingham Palace as their administrative headquarters. The building has survived everything from World War II bomb strikes to a crafty undergarment thief.

Metal Detectorist Finds a Gold Hatpin That May Have Belonged to Edward IV

Talk about a lucky find. A woman was scanning a field with her metal detector when she discovered this accessory valued at about $13,000 to $19,550, according to auction estimates.

Here's How You Can Help Rebuild Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral

The iconic cathedral is facing years, if not decades, of repairs that could cost more than $1 billion. If you'd like to help, here's how.

How Joseph Pulitzer Saved the Statue of Liberty

At one point in America's history, it seemed like the statue would end up in Philadelphia or San Francisco—or worse, be sent back to France. Then Pulitzer stepped in.

The Battle of Towton (1461) during the War of the Roses.

11 Fascinating Facts About the War of the Roses

This 30-plus-year period of bloodshed between England's House of Lancaster and the House of York inspired 'Game of Thrones.'

The Original Telegram Announcing Lincoln's Death Could Sell for $500,000

The handwritten document was how the nation learned the president had been fatally wounded by assassin John Wilkes Booth.

Beowulf Was Written By One Person, According to Computer Analysis

Thanks to a computer algorithm, we know something new about the mysterious author of 'Beowulf:' It was likely just one person.

An Ancient Shipwreck Has Been Turned Into an Underwater Museum Off the Coast of Greece

The wreckage dates back to the 5th century B.C.E. but wasn't discovered until the 1990s. The site is the first underwater museum of its kind in Greece.

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