It was the biggest crime in the history of the United States. Possibly, it was the greatest heist pulled off anywhere on the planet. The fact that it could occur was beyond […]
It’s the little things that show up in our research that are often the most intriguing. For reasons we can’t seem to remember, our Research Department found itself pursuing Washington, D.C.’s Evening […]
Humans have tried to emulate birds’ ability to fly since before recorded history. Despite centuries of effort, heavier-than-air flight remained out of reach. No one knows how many people lost their lives […]
Those who lived long ago, in a difficult-to-fathom age known by paleontologists as “the 20th century,” liked to imagine what life would be like in our era. They would likely be disappointed […]
We are frequently asked where we get our ideas for Commonplace Fun Facts. The question suggests a scarcity of interesting topics. In reality, the bigger challenge is “what NOT to write about.” […]
A headline is designed to capture the reader’s attention and draw him or her into the story. Sometimes that happens in entirely unexpected ways. Take a look at some of the most […]
They certainly weren’t the first boys in history to develop a crush on their teacher. Who could blame them for their innocent preoccupation over Miss Brown? Matilda “Tillie” Brown was young, pretty, […]
As George Washington took the reins of government as the first President of the United States, some thought it would be wise to create a permanent protective detail for the chief executive. […]
“The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.” – Thomas Jefferson
Have you ever looked around and wondered if insanity is on the rise? Does it seem that the whole world is losing its mind? Are you increasingly convinced that sane people are […]
For several weeks in 1927, the residents of Santa Ana, California were glued to their newspapers, eager to learn the latest details of possibly the most curious case in Orange County legal […]
The people of the United Kingdom town of Halifax had enough on their minds. War clouds were swirling, and there were fears that the country would soon be drawn into another great […]
The Hugo N. Frye Sesquicentennial Committee of Cornell University planned an event to honor New York’s often-overlooked political activist and founder of the New York Republican Party. The event was scheduled for […]
In 1977, readers of Great Britain’s newspaper Guardian were treated to an in-depth look at the tropical paradise of the island nation of San Serriffe. The newspaper devoted a 7-page supplement in […]
The city of New York is certainly not a stranger to crime. Whether it is burglary, pickpocketing, vehicle theft or other like offenses, New York City experienced 371,880 incidents of property crime […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 