Category: Culture
Missouri Man Sent Himself Back to the Workhouse
Jacob C. Arnold did not try to break out of the St. Louis workhouse. He tried to break back in. In January 1903, Arnold appeared…
Japanese Forces Use Electrified Fences Against Head Hunters
Some old newspaper articles are strange because of what they describe. Others are disturbing because of the casual way they describe it. This 1908 report…
Over 20 People Witness Werewolf in Oporto
In 1902, newspaper readers were told that Portugal had fallen under the spell of superstition, with witches, wizards, saints, spirits, and even a werewolf troubling…
When Fashion Came for the Squirrel
At the turn of the twentieth century, fashion had already taken a heavy toll on the natural world. Birds had been slaughtered for their feathers,…
A Strange Reward From Long Island Sound
Some stories from the old newspapers are strange because they end in tragedy. Others are strange because they feel almost like little fairy tales printed…
Sing Sing Guard Dog Suspended for Bullying
Even prison guards could get themselves suspended at Sing Sing, especially when the guard in question had four legs, a shaggy coat, and a habit…
Blood Drinkers of New Orleans
At the turn of the twentieth century, desperation often drove the sick toward strange and unsettling remedies. In New Orleans, one such treatment drew men,…
When Hygienists Wanted Cows to Brush Their Teeth
In 1909, newspaper reports poked fun at what they called France’s growing “hygiene craze,” and the examples were almost too strange to believe. Tea, coffee,…
A 1921 Parade for Einstein Had One Rule: No Fords
In June 1921, Hartford, Connecticut, turned out in force to honor two of the most famous Jewish figures of the age: Dr. Chaim Weizmann, future…
Kentucky Girl With Shotgun Puts Night Riders to Flight
In the early 1900s, reports of “night riders” carried an immediate sense of terror. These masked groups moved under cover of darkness, often arriving in…
