HISTORY

How One Widow's Grief Turned a Small Town Into a Roadside Attraction

"The strangest tomb in America, if not in the world, is that which rest the remains of Lon Dorsa in Nevada, Mo. It is so constructed that the widow can look upon her deceased husband at will."

The Pawpaw: The All-American Fruit the Country Forgot

The custardy fruit was once abundant.

Abraham Lincoln Letter About Slavery Could Fetch $700,000 at Auction

Lincoln wrote the letter in 1858 while preparing for the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates.

The Origin Stories of 25 of Your Favorite Fast Food Chains

Curious how your favorite fast food joint became a mainstay at food courts, strip malls, and truck stops around the country?

Hole Punch History: 131 Years Ago Today, a German Inventor Patented the Essential Office Product

The industrial device has remained relatively unchanged over the years.

Why Do We Wish on the Turkey’s Wishbone?

The tradition comes from Europe, and is thousands of years older than Thanksgiving.

This Radioactive Basement in Chernobyl May Be the Most Dangerous Room on Earth

Standing inside it for an hour is enough to kill you.

Found: A Rare Map of Australia, Created During the 17th Century

Created by renowned Dutch cartographer Joan Blaeu, the map was the first to depict Tasmania and New Zealand.

German Nonprofit Gives $1.1 Million to Restore World’s First Iron Bridge in England

A cultural foundation in Germany has stepped in to repair England’s historic Iron Bridge.

Science Museum, London/Wellcome Images, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 4.0

Eye Doctors Still Use This 100-Year-Old Test for Color Blindness

They're still the most popular test for color vision deficiencies.

By Photo by Veeder - Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs Division, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

15 Empowering Quotes From Elizabeth Cady Stanton

The suffragist, social activist, abolitionist and all around pioneer had a lot to say, and said it well.

3 Fascinating Items in Abraham Lincoln's Newly Released Archives

The Library of Congress has been working for years to put the 20,000 Lincoln-related documents online in high-resolution.

How a London Tragedy Led to the Creation of 911

Connecting to emergency services used to be much less efficient—until a 1935 disaster.

Visit the Temple of a Roman Mystery Cult in a New London Museum

The London Mithraeum recreates what it was like to take part in the rituals of an ancient cult using light, haze, and sound.

The Barnes Mystery: A Twisted Tale of Maids, Murder, and Mistaken Identity

Julia Martha Thomas disappeared—but her maid seemed to be doing great.

Courtesy of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Conservators Discover Grasshopper Embedded in van Gogh Painting

Even famous artists can't escape the realities of painting in nature.

Found: A Long-Lost Copy of John Donne's Fart-Filled Satire

The biting work satirizes Jacobean England, public figures, and religious corruption.

A New Analysis of Chopin's Heart Reveals the Cause of His Death

"I am quite sure we now know what killed Chopin."

As Bombs Fell on Paris, Marie Curie Went to War

First, Marie Curie tried to donate her Nobel Prize medals. When bank officials refused to melt them down, she donated her prize money to purchase war bonds instead.

The British King Whose Corpse Exploded During His Funeral

William the Conquerer was an unlikely king who reigned brutally and met an equally brutal end.

The Story Behind John Cage's 4'33"

In a world plagued by Muzak, John Cage needed to find a quiet way to make a powerful statement.

As Big as a What? How Literary Size Comparisons Change Over Time

Authors have stopped turning to the natural world for size comparisons and started referring to sports.

Metal Salvagers Are Destroying World War II Shipwrecks in Asia

The ships are considered the graves of thousands of sailors.

The Watergate Hotel Celebrates Its History With 1970s-Themed 'Scandal Room'

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the presidential scandal that rocked America.

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