The Plan To Build A New US Highway With Nuclear Bombs
This week in 1964, the US Atomic Energy Commission presented a report to Congress on an eye-opening idea: clearing land for a highway in southeast California with nuclear bombs.
A Lawmaker Tried To Get Americans To Eat Hippo Meat, AKA “Lake Bacon”
About this time in 1910, a member of Congress thought the next big food trend would be hippo meat.
Norwood, Ontario Had A Water Tower That Looked Like A Crushed Can
Today in 1957, the water tower in Norwood, Ontario, which looked like a big can of soda or beer, suddenly looked like a big crushed can of soda or beer.
Embo, Scotland, Declared Itself Independent For A Day
Today in 1988, the community of Embo, in the Scottish Highlands raised money for a community center by declaring independence from the rest of the UK… but just for one day.
Some American Hockey Players Develop Canadian-Ish Accents
There’s some linguistic research that suggests that American hockey players sometimes start to sound more like Canadians as their hockey careers continue.
Kids In Canada Went On Strike Over The Price Of Candy Bars
Today in 1947, the start of a big moment in the history of sweets: kids in Canada protested a hike in chocolate bar prices with what would eventually become known as the Candy Strike.
Every Year The Netherlands Sends Thousands Of Tulips To Canada
The Canadian Tulip Festival is getting underway in Ottawa. Here's the history of the annual event, which (pun intended) has its roots in the history of World War II.
Edmonia Lewis, A Sculptor Who Brought Her Subjects To Life
On Indigenous Peoples Day, here's the story of sculptor Edmonia Lewis. She was born in the 1840s to a Black father and a Chippewa mother, and became the first Native American and Black woman to become an acclaimed sculptor.
How Ethel Merman Helped Get America To Use ZIP Codes
Today in 1963, the US Postal Service officially started using ZIP codes as a way to quickly sort huge amounts of mail and get it to where it needed to go. How did they get Americans to adopt ZIP codes? A mascot named Mr. Zip and a jingle sung by Broadway legend Ethel Merman.
Why People Watch For The Ogopogo When They’re In Canada
If you know the story of the Loch Ness Monster, the story of the Ogopogo in Canada's British Columbia might sound familiar. But there's a whole other side to this story that comes from the Okanagan/syilx people, who first lived in the area.