Recent Posts
Indian names of towns and their meanings
The following article, sourced from an 1894 edition of the Arizona Republican, delves into the etymological roots of various American town and city names, tracing…
All About Hypnos, the Greek God of Sleep
Hypnos is a fascinating figure from Greek mythology, known as the personification of sleep. He is a primordial deity, emerging from the chaos of the…
1913 Instructions on How to Protect Self From Psychic Vampires
Published in a New Jersey newspaper, 1913, the following article details how to ward off psychic and emotional vampires. The advice is spot-on for self-protection…
Origin and History of Hocus Pocus
The phrase “hocus pocus” is famously associated with magic and illusion, often used by magicians before performing a trick. However, its origin is somewhat mysterious,…
Chemist detective finds many clues on headless body
Described at the Sherlock Holmes of Paris, a chemist studies clues left on a headless body to help determine facts about the murder. There were…
Parents soak children’s beds in gasoline and set them on fire, father survived
A horrifying news report published in 1921 tells us that a wife and husband decided to kill themselves and their four children to keep the…
Young woman upset after discovering her boyfriend is actually another young woman
From 1921, we find yet another article about a woman presenting as a man and courting another woman. In this case, as in many others,…
Librarians mystified by lines of people visiting to read the dictionary
Long before the internet, there were dictionaries and encyclopedia sets. In 1921, librarians at the New York Library were stunned when lines of people formed…
Oakland detects bubonic plague, begins rat extermination
An examination of 40 rats found that five of them carried the bubonic plague. Oakland takes steps to exterminate the threat to public health. City…
Herbal Healers and Witches: The Ties Between Nature’s Remedies and Witchcraft
The association between herbal medicine and witches or witchcraft has deep historical roots that span various cultures and time periods. This connection primarily arises from…
