Category: World Historical News
Sweden Ordered Citizens to Learn Swimming to Reduce Drowning Deaths
In 1926, Sweden reportedly launched an ambitious campaign to turn the entire country into a nation of swimmers, or, as one American newspaper dramatically put…
Ship Passenger Accused of Drinking Compass Alcohol in Nova Scotia
A passenger aboard a steamer from Boston apparently became so desperate for a drink that he turned to one of the ship’s navigational instruments. After…
Delaware Pastor Claimed Election Bribes Reached the Church
In 1905 Delaware, a Methodist pastor startled a church convention with accusations that political bribery had reached even into the pews. The Reverend William Cashmore,…
Before Weather Apps, Some Families Watched a Frog Climb a Ladder
Long before modern forecasts were available at the touch of a button, some households in Germany and Switzerland looked to a small green tree frog…
How to Safely Handle and Store 100-Year-Old Newspapers and Letters Without Damaging Them
The Enemy When you hold a 100-year-old newspaper or letter, you are holding a slow-motion chemical reaction. To successfully preserve these documents, you first need…
Grieving Mother Digs Up Son’s Bones and Flees Into the Woods
Some grief does not stay buried. In France, a destitute woman named Alice Gillet became so overcome by the thought of losing her dead son…
Man Visits Sick Wife at Hospital, Gets Mistaken for Lunatic and Locked Up
Albert Smith went to the hospital expecting to visit his sick wife. Instead, he was greeted like a man everyone had been waiting for. The…
Severe Winter Sent Hungry Boar Onto Football Field in France
A football match in France took a strange turn when a hungry wild boar burst onto the field and sent players and spectators running. The…
Toronto Man Claims Responsibility for Mother’s Murder After the Father Hangs
In the summer of 1920, newspapers across North America carried a gut wrenching report from Canada: a young farmer named Arnell Love had confessed to…
Horses and Pulleys Create Battlefield Simulation in Germany
Long before computerized simulations, laser ranges, and virtual battlefields, military planners searched for inventive ways to prepare soldiers for combat. At the dawn of the…
