HISTORY
How 30 Chicago Streets Got Their Names
There are hundreds upon hundreds of streets vectoring through the Windy City, and we've selected 30 whose etymologies were begging to be explored.
A New Project Is Digitizing 1.5 Million African American History Records From the Civil War
The Freedmen’s Bureau Project will index millions of 19th century family and work records from freed slaves.
The Rivalry of Brooklyn Neighborhoods: Pigtown and Spotless Town
Needless to say, the residents of the rival neighborhoods didn't care for each other very much.
See an Ancient Version of The Odyssey
The papyrus fragment with lines from Homer's 'The Odyssey' is dated ca. 285–250 BCE and is a variation of the standard text we read today.
12 Pieces of Unsolicited Advice for 19th-Century Girls
Physician (and Corn Flakes inventor) John Harvey Kellogg had a lot of thoughts on how 19th-century girls could be happy and healthy.
Abraham Lincoln's Very Bad Blind Date
As an Illinois state representative, Abraham Lincoln went on a bad blind date that ended up in a very strange and very unexpected place.
10 Things Your Body Can Do After You Die
From getting hitched to saving the environment, here's proof you can still be a busybody long after you kick the bucket.
The Man Who Invented the Spork
The combo spoon/fork's inventor was a rich New York doctor with a string of wacky patents.
See an Early Work From Dr. Seuss called The Pocket Book of Boners
In 1931, Dr. Seuss was a contributing illustrator for a "collection of schoolboy wisdom, or knowledge as it is sometimes written, compiled from classrooms and examination papers" called "Boners."
A Brief and Bizarre History of the Baby Cage
Baby cages were once an acceptable way for city-dwelling parents to let their children get some air.
Mary Pickford and the First Million-Dollar Film Contract
Her history-making movie deal would earn her nearly $22,000,000 today.
The Island Where Tabasco Peppers Grow
If you love Tabasco and all things spicy, Louisiana's Avery Island is your version of Wonka's chocolate factory.
Winner Takes All: 8 of the Most Dramatic Format Wars
More than a few of the battles between media platforms over the past century have been downright ruthless.
How Thousands of Women Kept The U.K.'s Timber Industry Afloat
During World War II, the Women's Timber Corps took over the forestry jobs of men who had joined the armed forces. The performed intense labor jobs and kept the timber industry afloat.
How to Tell the Future With Snails, and 14 Other Pieces of Outmoded Advice
The best bits of wisdom from the advice manuals published way before Google searches were a thing.
A Brief History of the Plastic Pink Flamingo
From the plastic bird's birth to its modern perch atop the pyramid of campy Americana, here’s the quick-and-dirty on the hot pink queen of kitsch.
9 Presidential Kids Whose Antics Made News
Sometimes, under the microscope of media attention, the childlike antics and teenage rebellions of the First Children made national news.
This is What A Woman From Tehran 7000 Years Ago Looked Like
Science is constantly getting better at reconstructing what life was like in earlier eras. And now, new 3D imaging technology shows us what our fellow human may have looked like many millennia ago.
25 Things You Should Know About Chicago
Impress the locals on your next visit to the Windy City.
12 Cruel Anti-Suffragette Cartoons
Almost 100 years ago, American women won the right to vote. But not before they were ridiculed and vilified.
28 Historical Photos of Dads Doing Dad Things
Happy Father's Day!
How the Word ‘Father’ Unlocked the History of Language
It's no coincidence that the word used to describe dear old dad was so similar across distinct classical languages.
25 Things You Should Know About Portland
Sure, you know about the craft beer, the fancy coffee, and all those awesome food carts. Here are some nuggets about the Rose City you might not have known.