On this day back in 1903, a Southern Railway mail train, officially known as the Fast Mail, was running late. Also known by its train car number (97), the Fast Mail was already behind schedule when it left Washington, D.C., and was hour late when it arrived at its first scheduled stop in Monroe, Virginia. … Continue reading The Train Wreck That Caused a Copyright Lawsuit

I recently stumbled across the old, 1994 comedy "Dumb and Dumber" on Netflix. I'm sure you know it, probably even have seen it (even if you won't admit it). By this point, the tale of two nimrods trekking across country to return what they assume is a woman's left-behind briefcase is pretty much considered a … Continue reading Statistically Speaking…

The name Martin Frobisher is, to all but the most hardcore of historians, rarely remembered among the name of the great British explorers of the 1500's. And, if mentioned at all, it's usually not in conjunction with his several successful trading voyages or even his sketchy foray into piracy. No, Martin Frobisher is usually only … Continue reading A Fool’s Errand

George Gordon Byron, more famously known as Lord Byron, was a prolific English romantic poet, though he is mostly known for Don Juan, a 17-cantos poem whose scandalous subject matter (in it, he openly expresses his disgust of fellow poets William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge) only lends to its popularity among scholars of English … Continue reading The Greatest Crime in Literary History

Anneleis Marie Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1929, the second of two daughters born to Otto and Edith Frank. Life in post-World War I Germany was rough, not only because unemployment was high and poverty was severe, but also because Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party, seizing on the country's growing anger, were … Continue reading Prinsengracht 263

By 1775, tensions between the American colonies and the British government were reaching a breaking point. Although the Declaration of Independence was still over a year away, preparations were already being made for what many colonists viewed as an inevitable conflict. In Massachusetts, for example, Patriots had formed a "shadow" government and were training militias … Continue reading Shots Fired

If I were to say the words "Niagra Falls," what would be the first thing that came to your mind? Can I venture a guess? If the word "water" wasn't your first choice, I think it's pretty safe to assume it was a close second. That's because, even if you've never been in person, Niagra … Continue reading When The Waters Ran Dry

Susan B. Anthony was an activist seemingly from birth. Born into a Quaker family, her father's mill failed when he refused to use slave-grown cotton. Inspired by his steadfast commitment to justice, she was collecting anti-slavery petitions as early as 17. During the Civil War, she helped found the Women's Loyal National League, which conducted … Continue reading Are Women Persons?