In 1880, a new town was founded in Wisconsin and its initial name was New Chicago. However, since, it got cold before workmen could finish painting rest of the letters on the elevator, the grain elevator by the railway track had ELEVA written on it. So, people assumed that this was the name of the […]
When the US navy banned alcohol on ships in July 1914…
When the US navy banned alcohol on ships in July 1914, they held one last massive party and invited ships from several nations to help drink the last of the booze. Many of the participants in the party would become enemies weeks later when WWI broke out.
In 1917, the U.S. War Industries Board asked women to stop…
In 1917, the U.S. War Industries Board asked women to stop buying corsets to free up metal for war production. This was said to have saved some 28,000 tons of metal, enough to build two battleships.
Several ancient cultures believed in the existence…
Several ancient cultures believed in the existence of a race of dog headed men called “Cynocephali”.
In Medieval Europe it was common for the wealthy…
In Medieval Europe it was common for the wealthy to eat meals with their entire household, including servants.
When musician Israel Kamakawiwo’ole passed in 1997, he was the first…
When musician Israel Kamakawiwo’ole passed in 1997, he was the first and only citizen to receive the honor of having the Hawaii state flag flown at half-staff. His coffin was allowed to “lay in state” in the capitol building. Since then, in 2003 a bronze bust of Brother Iz was erected on O’ahu.
There was a man named Robert Willner who stuck…
There was a man named Robert Willner who stuck his finger with HIV infected blood in an attempt to prove that AIDS is not caused by HIV retrovirus.
Johnny Cash released a whole album called…
Johnny Cash released a whole album called “Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian” because Cash had been convinced that his ancestry was Cherokee, even by members of the Cherokee tribe. Later he found it he was not Cherokee at all, but Scottish, English and Scots-Irish.
Julia Stewart, who worked as a waitress at an IHOP…
Julia Stewart, who worked as a waitress at an IHOP at 16 years old, worked her way up through various jobs to become a President at Applebees. After being passed over for CEO, she returned to IHOP, became CEO, and later acquired Applebees.
In 1996, a small town in Utah mistakenly booked…
In 1996, a small town in Utah mistakenly booked Rage Against the Machine at a venue for tractor and monster truck shows. The locals panicked and businesses boarded up thinking the band’s followers would riot and vandalize everything.