There is much about the worst maritime disaster in United States history that is counter-intuitive. For one thing, the story is largely forgotten. It has been overshadowed by events that were smaller […]
The U.S. Constitution gives the President virtually unlimited authority to grant pardons to anyone facing federal charges. Except for William Henry Harrison and James Garfield, all of the nation’s chief executives have […]
He was known to be a hooligan. Technically, he was a “Hooligan” with a capital H. Known by the locals as Happy Hooligan, Fred was one of the more colorful characters of […]
As we enter into Mother’s Day weekend in the United States, we present this article from Waxing Poet, regarding the origins of this special day. Give thanks this day for your mother. […]
Today we feature one of our favorite blogs, Neko Random — a great place to visit for quick and informative fun facts. While the Lincoln Memorial is one of the most popular […]
It wasn’t that long ago that people believed mental illness behaved like the common cold. One of the reasons for the establishment of mental asylums was to quarantine the insane, thus protecting […]
Have you ever heard the name of Helen Niemeyer? Perhaps you would know her by her married name, Helen Hanfstaengl? Probably not. In the crowded pages of history books, there is scarcely […]
There seems to be an awful lot of uncertainty and misinformation surrounding the Captain. The thing he is most remembered for is something he probably had nothing to do with. The big […]
The role of first lady is ambiguous. It is not an elected position, and the Constitution is silent on the issue. By custom, the first lady is the official hostess of White […]
The Presidential election was an absolute mess. After a long, nasty, contentious campaign, the voting was over, but the outcome was far from clear. Both sides claimed victory. The Democrats pointed to […]
Wilmer McLean wanted to escape war, but war kept finding him.
So much is known about the life of President Jefferson, but there was a haunting tragedy about his past that history rarely mentions. He is remembered as a man of destiny. From […]
George was cold. Actually, “cold” doesn’t begin to describe it. He was freezing. He was learning the hard way that although the desert is famously hot during the day, the nighttime conditions […]
March 4, 1861, dawned in Washington, D.C. It was Inauguration Day. Despite the importance of the day and the fact that it had been on the calendar for a long time, there […]
One of the hallmarks of Abraham Lincoln’s personality was his humility. He frequently used self-deprecating humor to defuse difficult situations.
Commonplace Fun Facts 