HISTORY

12 Old Toasts for Modern Occasions

The Body-Snatching Horror of John Scott Harrison

John Scott Harrison, onetime Ohio congressman and gentleman farmer, is the only person who was both the son and father of U.S. Presidents: father William Henry was the ninth, while son Benjamin was the 23rd.

L'Inhumation Precipitee or "The Premature Burial" by Belgian artist Antoine Wiertz

10 Famous People Who Were Afraid They'd Be Buried Alive

Over the past several centuries, some well-known people made provisions to avoid being declared dead before their time.

The Fabulously Eccentric Life of James Gordon Bennett, Jr.

Gilded Age New York had more than its fair share of outlandish rich people. But few could top James Gordon Bennett, Jr.—publisher, yachtsman, and owl lover.

In 1954, Bill Haley and His Comets rocked around the clock—and changed the course of rock history.

When Bill Haley and His Comets Started A Rock 'n' Roll Revolution

Bill Haley & His Comets’s "(We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" might not have been the first rock ‘n’ roll song, but it’s widely regarded as the song that brought rock to the mainstream.

The Truth About The Phantom of the Opera

Whether you prefer the 1925 movie featuring Lon Chaney, the original Broadway production, or the 2004 Gerard Butler remake, there’s no question that the chandelier crash scene is one of the most iconic moments in The Phantom of the Opera.

It’s easy to see how people could have confused this elephant skull for the remains of a giant Greek monster.

8 Types of Imaginary Creatures 'Discovered' In Fossils

These eight fossils have been displayed as “evidence” of imaginary beasts like unicorns, dragons, and sea monsters.

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt, via wikimedia commons

11 Strange Remedies Used By Renaissance Doctors

The Renaissance may have been a time of great scientific and artistic innovation, but the era’s medical treatments still had a ways to go before they became safe and effective. Here are a few questionable cures a Renaissance doctor may have prescribed you

15 of the Queen’s Best Tiaras

The Crown Jewels are nice and all, but the Queen’s Jewels contain a number of gorgeous tiaras that are more than worthy of Her Majesty.

Remembering Jim Henson

On May 16, 1990, Jim Henson passed away. In the months that followed, a pair of memorial services paid tribute to the man who changed the entertainment landscape.

5 Wedding Tips From Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI

15 Historic Terms for Crime and Punishment, Defined

4 Weird Ways People Have Tried to Catch Thieves

Many of Egypt's Animal Mummies Don't Contain Mummies At All

The Very Particular Details of Emily Dickinson's Funeral

It should come as no surprise that she had very specific plans she wished to be followed upon her passing.

4 People Suspected of Being Deep Throat

She Threw Herself Under a Horse For Women’s Suffrage … Or Did She?

When Feminists Confronted the Men In Charge of Ladies' Home Journal

William Shakespeare’s Father: Official Ale-Taster of Stratford-upon-Avon

How Counterfeiters Nearly Ruined Opening Day at Disneyland

Acquaintance Cards: The Polite Way to Say “Can I Follow You Home?”

How the Philadelphia Suburbs Got Their Names

Many of Philadelphia’s suburbs have been around since before the American Revolution, and some are even as old as Pennsylvania itself. But how did they get their names?

25 Pieces of Advice from a 19th Century Etiquette Book

When The Royal Baby Announcement Had A Typo

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