History Mystery

Franklin: The U.S. State That Never Was

In 1784, less than a decade after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and only a short few years after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, the U.S. state of Franklin declared its own independence. (1)(2) Rather than simple independence from the United States government, which was in its infant stage at this time […]

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Artifact History Mystery Travel

The Intriguing Mystery of the Disappearance of the Explorer Percy Fawcett and the Lost City of Z

A lost city of legend, a trio of adventurers, and a mystery that persists to this very day: this is the story of Percy Fawcett and his ill-fated final expedition to find the fabled “Lost City of Z.” Who Was Percy Fawcett? When picturing the quintessential adventurer, one might fall back on certain tropes. From […]

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Biography History Mystery

Louis XVII: The Lost Dauphin

In 1789, Louis XVI of France lost his grip upon the monarchy which he had inherited. Famine, indecisive decision-making, and unsuccessful policy reforms had created an environment in which the so-called “third estate,” the estate of the middle class commoners, struggled to survive. The mood in Europe, especially following the American Revolutionary War which France […]

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Biography History List

Four of the Most Fascinating Criminals in History

From infamous gangsters like Al Capone, to notorious pirates like Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, there is something darkly fascinating about those criminally enterprising individuals who managed to make careers as outlaws and scoundrels. In this article, we’ll look at some of history’s most interesting criminals and their unique and dastardly legacies. 1. Black Bart Few character […]

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History Mystery

The Pied Piper Story: What Really Happened to the Children of Hamelin?

The Pied Piper of Hamelin is a classic story which has been retold and adapted time and again. As a result, this story one of the most familiar and beloved fairy tales around. The following is yet another brief retelling of the story for readers who need a refresher. This version of the story includes […]

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Biography History

The Cadaver Synod: A Trial For a Dead Pope

In January of 897 AD, the Basilica San Giovanni Laterano in Rome bore witness to one of the strangest “trials” in human history. Referred to as either the Cadaver Synod or Synodus Horrenda, this event remains a dark blemish upon the history of the papacy as well as that of Rome itself. The reason that […]

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History Travel

Rough and Ready: the Little California Town Which Seceded from the Union

Is there anything that quite embodies the pioneering spirit of the United States better than the Gold Rush? In 1848, gold was found in the Sacramento Valley, beginning a series of events in which hundreds of thousands of prospectors and fortune-seekers would flock to the “Wild West” over the next several years in search of […]

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Artifact History Mystery

What is the Pedro Mountain Mummy?

In 1934, a pair of prospectors ventured into the Pedro Mountains in central Wyoming and discovered a treasure far outside of their expectations. The history of this object is shrouded in mystery and scandal and has inspired theories which range from superstitious to paranormal. The object in question is a mummy. Discovered within a sealed […]

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History Mystery

The Dog Who Became a Saint

St. Francis of Assisi is often associated with animals. His philosophy of respect and stewardship over nature has cemented him in history as a patron of ecology, nature, and the creatures with which we share this planet. Like many other saints, Francis’s gentleness towards animals is just one of the many pious behaviors associated with […]

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History Travel

The Salton Sea: How a Desert Resort Became an Abandoned Wasteland

In 1905, a dry lake bed in Southern California called the “Salton Sink” was filled with water once more as the Colorado River surged and newly constructed irrigation canals funneled the entire volume of the river into this low-elevation desert land. The event was an unprecedented once-in-a-lifetime failure in irrigation planning, and the result was […]

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