HISTORY

The Eerie Legend of the ‘Old Leatherman,’ Connecticut’s Silent Wanderer

For decades, a man dressed head to toe in leather moved through Connecticut and New York. Who was he, and what did he want?

A Brief History of the Ouija Board

The Ouija board has terrified countless slumber party children and served as a plot vehicle in a number of Hollywood films. Here’s where it came from.

Where did this phrase come from, anyway?

Why Do We Say “Trick or Treat” on Halloween?

The origins of the phrase (indirectly) involve smelly cabbage, Donald Duck, and several Canadian journalists.

10 Facts About Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios

In the weeks leading up to Halloween, the family-friendly characters that normally populate Universal Studios are replaced with killer clowns and chainsaw-wielding maniacs.

How Phone Hackers Paved the Way for Apple

The ‘phone phreakers’ of the 1960s and 1970s indirectly led to the tech boom of today.

Carving pumpkins is one of the most famous Halloween traditions.

15 Spooky Halloween Traditions and Their Origins

Love Halloween costumes and spooky decorations? Let’s dig a little deeper and learn the creepy stories behind the holiday's traditions, from carving pumpkins to munching on candy corn.

This map shows traditional Indigenous territories across North America.

This Website Allows You to See the Traditional Indigenous Territories and Languages in Your Region

You can see how North America, South America, New Zealand, and Australia, and more divided before colonists arrived.

The cover of Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ by Ruben Toledo.

10 Blood-Curdling Facts About ‘Dracula’

In true undead style, Dracula holds up well: He’s as creepy today as he was when Bram Stoker invented him in 1897.

Elvis could have been a hunk of granite.

A Fifth Head for Mount Rushmore? Here Are Seven Famous Contenders

Who, if anybody, deserves a place alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt on the famous monument?

3D movies have been coming at you for over a century.

Everyday Things That Are Much Older Than You Might Think

Condoms, 3D movies, the name Tiffany ... All of these things have been around a lot longer than you might think. In this episode of The List Show, we're breaking down our favorite deceptively old things, from synchronized swimming to Juicy Fruit gum.

Skeletons are good for more than just Halloween.

Watch Plastic Skeletons Being Made in a 1960s Factory

We're glad skeletons are usually made of plastic now.

An Evening Seance Newspaper Illustration.

10 Facts about the History of Spiritualism

From spiritualism's beginnings at the Fox cottage to ectoplasm, so-called spirit photography, and beyond, here's what you need to know about this controversial cultural phenomenon.

Karl Aspelin, Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons

What Was the First Banned Book in History?

As is often the case when you look back into history, there’s more than one possible answer. But one of the leading contenders has a fairly predictable culprit: the Puritans.

How an Unfortunate Misunderstanding Spawned a Medieval Mummy-Eating Fad

Eating centuries-old mummies was a hot health trend in medieval Europe.

This pair of men's black leather Blucher ankle boots from the 1840s was found under floor of an old military prison at Weedon, Northants, in 1939.

Lost Soles: When Concealed Shoes Kept Witches Away

The folk magic tradition of concealing shoes to trap witches probably started in the Middle Ages.

8 Facts About Polar Explorer Roald Amundsen

Roald Amundsen was the first person to reach the South Pole—and that's not all.

“Nutmeg State” isn’t actually Connecticut’s official nickname.

Why is Connecticut Called the “Nutmeg State”?

Technically, it’s not. Connecticut’s “official nickname” is the “Constitution State.”

Where Did the Term ‘Up to Snuff’ Originate?

Are you not up to snuff when it comes to knowing the origin of ‘up to snuff’? We can help you with that.

Artist’s rendition of Betty and Barney Hill’s alien encounter in the White Mountains.

Close Encounter: When Betty and Barney Hill’s Alien Abduction Story Shocked the World

In 1961, an ordinary New Hampshire couple claimed to have been abducted by aliens. Betty and Barney Hill's tale still reverberates through pop culture today.

The Reason Boston is Called “Beantown”

Among nicknames like “The Athens of America,” “The Cradle of Liberty,” and “The Hub of the Universe,” “Beantown” sounds very out of place.

15 Things You Should Know About ‘Dogs Playing Poker’

C.M. Coolidge has been called “the most famous American artist you’ve never heard of.” But while critics might sniff at his contribution to the art world, the history of his greatest works is rich.

Curtis Chillingworth, the Florida Judge Who Vanished From the Bench

Curtis Chillingworth was the most esteemed judge in Palm Beach County. But someone wanted him dead.

A “vampire” skeleton found in Sozopol, Bulgaria.

8 Historical Methods for Keeping the Dead in their Graves

People tried their best to keep the dead from rising again with scythes, chains, nails, and more.

6 Misconceptions About the Roman Empire

Did Julius Caesar really say “Et tu, Brute?” Did Nero fiddle while Rome burned? What was with the togas? We answer these questions and more.

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