President Franklin Roosevelt passed away on April 12, 1945, just weeks before the end of World War II in Europe, leaving his Vice President, Harry Truman, to gather the reins of the presidency and steer a reeling nation through what promised to be several tumultuous months. The Allies were advancing on Berlin, but victory wasn't … Continue reading One Man’s Decision

The first “official” flag of the United States was “the Continental Colors,” also known as the “Grand Union Flag.” It consisted of thirteen red and white stripes with the United Kingdom’s flag in the upper-left-hand corner, also known as the canton. It was the same design as the flag for the British East India Company … Continue reading Which Flag?

It started with a possible murder and pig-stealing. It ended, almost thirty years later, with a wedding. The McCoy family, headed by patriarch Randolph McCoy, lived on the Kentucky side of the Tug Fork River. They were a lower-middle-class family, owning a 300-acre farm and subsisting mainly from its bounty. On the other side, in … Continue reading Hogs, Bitterness, and Blood

I'm 'Enery the Eighth, I am,'Enery the Eighth I am, I am!I got married to the widow next door,She's been married seven times beforeAnd every one was an 'EneryShe wouldn't have a Willie nor a SamI'm her eighth old man named 'Enery'Enery the Eighth, I am! I was not even alive in the 1960's, but … Continue reading I’m Henry the VIII, I Am…

It's one of the most iconic sights in our nation's capital. A 555 feet and 5-1/8 inches obelisk that--per Washington D.C. law--is the tallest structure in the city. The Washington Monument. But did you know this testament to our first president was decided upon before he became our first president? In 1783, the Continental Congress … Continue reading The Obelisk that Almost Wasn’t

At 10:48 a.m. on Sunday, February 7, 1904, a fire was reported at the John Hurst and Company building on West German Street at Hopkins Place in downtown Baltimore. Supposedly, someone had tossed a smoldering cigarette into the basement. Although the city had a professional and well-trained fire department, by the time they arrived, the … Continue reading The Great Baltimore Fire

This is a story that starts with one war and ends with another. Or, rather, ends with a war that, for one man, didn't end. But let me back up. In February 1895, Cuba began its fight for independence from Spain. Though largely isolationist, there was growing demand for U.S. intervention in the crisis...a crisis … Continue reading The Forgotten Soldier

Chances are, if you're a reader of romance, you've heard of the name Elizabeth Barrett. Or, if you haven't heard her name, you've at least heard a line or two of her most famous poem. It goes a little like this: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..." See, I told you … Continue reading A Literary Love Story

"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings." You and I may not have a lot in common, but I'm guessing you (as well as I) know exactly where that quote comes from. It's spoken by Zuzu Bailey at the end of It's A Wonderful Life, the seminal Christmas classic starring Jimmy Stewart … Continue reading The Story No One Wanted