After The Civil War, William Oland Bourne And Veterans Organized A “Left-Armed Corps”
Poet and newspaper publisher William Oland Bourne organized penmanship contests for injured Civil War veterans to encourage their writing.
John Hanson, The Guy Who Was Sort Of President Before George Washington
Today in 1781, the first U.S. president, John Hanson, was elected. Of course, being a U.S. president in 1781 was very different from the job George Washington, the first president under the U.S. Constitution, would hold eight years later.
The Undertaker Who Developed Automatic Phone Dialing
Today in 1892 a phone system that made automated calls - no switchboard operator - began operating in Laporte, Indiana. The first automatic dial network happened, as the story goes, because of a business dispute between two undertakers.
Fort Blunder, The Military Installation Built In The Wrong Country
Today in 1816, the US military awarded to built a contract for a fort next to Lake Champlain, near the border with Canada. For years crews worked to make the fort strong, until one day when they realized there was a big problem.
The Statue Of Liberty Sat In Pieces Until A Crowdfunding Campaign Got The Job Done
Today in 1886, the U.S. dedicated the Statue of Liberty in New York. It was hard times when Lady Liberty first arrived in the country, but eventually a 19th century-style crowdfunding efforts raised enough money to raise the statue onto a pedestal.
Grace Bedell, The Girl Who Got Abe Lincoln To Grow A Beard
Today in 1860, an 11 year old wrote to not-yet-president Abraham Lincoln, suggesting he grow some whiskers because "your face is so thin." Later, a bearded Abe visited the letter writer, Grace Bedell of Westfield, New York, and showed off his new look.
Indiana Bell Rotated And Moved Its Office Building – And Kept Working There During The Move
This week in 1930, a phone utility in Indianapolis started moving its headquarters and rotating the building 90 degrees, all while keeping service going for customers and workers in the building.
A Liner Note Detective Wants The World To Know Something About The “London Calling” Cover Photo
The famous cover of The Clash's landmark album "London Calling" was taken on September 21, 1979, according to the liner notes. Except that Dave Marin, a concertgoer who was there when the photo was taken, has a concert stub that says September 20th. And he's spent decades trying to get the world to notice that the album credits are a day off.
Benny Benson, The 13 Year Old Who Designed Alaska’s Flag
Today in 1929, the then-territory of Alaska flew its flag for the first time. That flag, which is still used today, was designed by a 13 year old of Aleutian descent, Benny Benson.
When Maasai Herders Call The Wrong Number, They May End Up Making A New Friend
When most of us get wrong number phone calls, we get off the line pretty quickly. But new research finds Maasai herders in Tanzania often strike up a conversation, and get to know the person who accidentally called them.