Category: History
7 Terrifying Reports of People Who Operated on Themselves
From amputations performed with pocketknives to appendectomies done on kitchen tables, the newspaper archives are filled with horrifying stories of people who took surgery into…
The History of March: The Month of Mars
March, once the first month of the year in the Roman calendar, is named for Mars, the powerful Roman god of war. As the season…
“Looney Gas”: The Poisoned Promise of Leaded Gasoline
In 1924, a group of workers at the Standard Oil refinery in Bayway, New Jersey, began to suffer bizarre and terrifying symptoms. They twitched uncontrollably,…
Eva Dugan’s Final Drop: The Hanging That Changed Arizona
In the dark early hours of February 21, 1930, Eva Dugan stepped onto the gallows at Arizona State Prison in Florence. Composed and defiant, she…
The History of February: The Month of Purification and Ancient Myths
February, though today known as the second month of the year, was originally the last month of the Roman calendar. Its name comes from the…
Devoured by Wolves: True and Terrifying Historical Accounts
In the days before modern infrastructure and wildlife management, lone travelers and remote families were vulnerable to nature’s harshest predators, including the wolf. While these…
“The Trap Was Sprung”: Eyewitness Accounts from the Gallows, 1850–1897
Over a hundred years ago, newspapers reported executions with unsettling detail. These were not brief mentions or sanitized blurbs; they were vivid, haunting descriptions meant…
The History of January: Gateway to the New Year
January, the first month of the calendar year, takes its name from Janus, the ancient Roman god of doors, gates, and transitions. His name, rooted…
Cheese in Ancient Rome: A Staple of Soldiers, Feasts, and the Gods
When we think of Ancient Rome, grand architecture, gladiators, and conquests often come to mind. But behind the empire’s military might and cultural legacy lies…
Switchback Tragedies: Deadly Roller-Coaster Mishaps, 1893–1920
Before looping steel giants, “switchbacks” delivered thrills and danger. Inspired by Pennsylvania’s famed Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway, early gravity rides sent bench cars racing down…
