Depending on how you count, between three and seven people died due to the very first Indianapolis motor car race back in 1909. Find out more here.
Vintage newspapers
In the fifties, people wanted to know: What was rock ‘n’ roll music? Where did this wild dance noise come from – and was it safe for the kids? Should it be banned, or was it just a fad?
A Tom Collins isn’t a drink just named after some guy, somewhere. Find out the story of ‘Have you seen Tom Collins?’ – and get recipes for four original, old-fashioned versions of the Tom Collins cocktail.
Just 18 years old, Aretha Franklin moves flawlessly in her vocals — from spiritual, to blues to jazz and to pop; and her ability as a pianist is something more to reckon with. Aretha is the girl to watch!
Many of today’s Halloween costumes and the tales of pirate treasure we all know can be traced back to the life and times of the very real person, Captain Kidd. But where is his treasure?
There have been tales of what happened at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota in 1890. Here, see original vintage news reports of the battle, plus a historical review of the events from 1976.;
Here are three different recipes for vintage pumpkin meringue pies – one with a homemade pie and meringue topping, a second with a ginger-infused meringue, and the last using a pre-made pumpkin pie with a nutty meringue on top.
Samuel Colt, the millionaire inventor of the famous Colt revolver, died when he was just 47 years old. Here’s a look back at the original obituary for one of the wealthiest men in America before the Civil War.
On the top of one of the taller buildings of the time, the Hotel Majestic’s roof garden was where the elite partied back around the turn of the century.
Back in 1871, The Great Chicago Fire killed an estimated 200 to 300 people, destroyed more than three square miles of the city, and left 100,000 people homeless.
Iced Nesselrode Pudding, a chestnut-based chilled sweet, was considered to be very expensive, very fancy, very tasty — and was, consequently, very popular during the Victorian era.
What is VJ Day? It means “Victory in Japan” day – the celebration that marked the end of WWII when Japan finally announced its surrender to Allied forces in the summer of 1945. Here’s a look back.
In August of 1969, actress Sharon Tate and four others were found dead in what police said resembled a ritualistic mass murder. Four months later, Charles Manson and the Manson ‘family’ would be charged with the crime. Here’s how it all happened.
Below are terrifying and telling sketches of the Titanic’s last moments, drawn by Lewis P Skidmore, who was a passenger on the rescue ship Carpathia
While today’s players make multi-million dollar salaries and play in front of upwards of 15,000 fans a night, Wilt Chamberlain’s record-setting performance took place in front of 4,124 fans at the arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Starting in 1914, there was a lot of hype about Old Gilbert, Arizona, a little town near Phoenix: ‘the fastest growing and most prosperous community in the Southwest.” See how it’s grown!
Here is one theory about how the Liberty Bell was cracked, according to an old man who confessed to breaking the famous bell when he was just a boy.
Nothing stays the same for very long — not the world, not the blues, not love, not a petite young Texas girl named Janis Joplin, who had ‘such a pretty voice,’ according to her mother.
Even today, there are ships buried under downtown San Francisco that you might walk over, on land reclaimed from the Bay thanks to the Gold Rush.
See vintage car wreck photos of 35 of old auto accidents and crashes from the 1910s to the 1950s – before standardized seatbelts and airbags.
What is a mansard roof home – or a Second Empire-style house? Find out here, and take a look at more than 20 beautiful examples!
While books and articles on America’s slave trade can offer important historical insight, seeing ads for slave auctions casually placed in newspapers of the era really brings the brutality home.
Back in 1961, a little 37-pound chimpanzee named Ham helped pave the way for human astronauts to launch into space.
In 1977, alhough Tom Sneva’s four-lap average was just under 199mph, his first two laps were over the ‘magic’ 200mph mark – and the first official laps of over 200mph recorded at the speedway.
Albert Einstein was a man whose life, philosophies, discoveries and theories changed the way we looked at the world, and at life itself. Find out about him here.
A doctor smashed his way into a locked bedroom, and found Marilyn Monroe dead in bed. Here’s what else he found, and how the first news stories broke.
On the evening of December 9, 1977, a single punch altered the way the NBA regarded fighting forever when Kermit Washington and Rudy Tomjanovich ended up in a fight on the court.
We’re taking a look back at the Beatles’ life & times. Revisit some vintage videos of Beatles songs and performances — and reminisce with us about the worldwide fan mania the Fab Four inspired.
Take a look back at how America – and the world – celebrated Victory in Europe Day, meaning World War II was nearly over.
The year 1977 was quite the momentous one for the Indianapolis 500, as AJ Foyt would go on to become the first four-time winner in race history.
Called “the most extraordinary thing that ever happened in American sports,” the streak began on May 15, 1941 when Joe DiMaggio went 1-4 against Chicago White Sox hurler Eddie Smith.
Studio 54 was arguably the most famous – or at the very least, infamous – nightclub of the 1970s & 1980s. It was filled with stars, even when the owners were sent to prison.
Here’s the true story of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, as reported at the time of his murder at the hand of actor John Wilkes Booth.
In 1967, a flash fire killed the prime crew of the Apollo 1/Saturn 204 mission. Astronauts Virgil I. Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffee lost their lives.
Kill John Dillinger at Chicago Desperado, wounded by three slugs, broke line of fire; Died in alley U.S. Justice Department Agents and East Chicago Police
In October 1918, near the end of WWI, The New York Tribune and other newspapers nationwide carried the line at the top of the front page: AMERICA’S HISTORIC ANSWER: UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.
Find out about The Sting, a 1973 film set in the ’30s – the story of two conmen out to trick a mob boss – that won 7 Academy Awards.
From Liverpool lad to Beatle & enduring icon – revisit the life of John Lennon. His legacy is more than songs; it’s a committed pursuit of peace & love.
Here’s a retro dinner recipe from the 1950s for a potato-topped hamburger and green bean casserole.
On April 1, 1996 – April Fool’s Day – the Taco Bell fast food chain announced they’d bought the iconic Liberty Bell, and renamed it the Taco Liberty Bell.
On May 18, 1980, an earthquake shook beneath Mount St. Helens in Washington, and triggered an enormous volcanic eruption. Here’s a look back.
With a blinding flash of light, 100,000 people or more were killed instantly when the United States dropped a bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945.
The great loss of the Titanic: It is now practically certain that 1,492 human beings went to their death in the sinking of the giant ship on the ice banks of Newfoundland.
Frederick Douglass, who was born a slave in Talbot county, Maryland, in 1817, was the one conspicuous anti-slavery agitator who spoke of the wrongs and cruelty of slavery from personal experience.
Walt Disney’s first full-length animated movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, debuted in 1938. A technicolor marvel, it’s considered a classic work of animation.
Two planes collidced over Arizona in 1956, resulting in the deaths of all 128 people aboard. The Grand Canyon airplane crash was the worst air disaster until that time, and changed the history of airline safety.
What do the different flowers mean when it comes to send a bouquet for the New Year? Take a look back to the Victorian era to find out!
What’s for dinner? How about some old-fashioned macaroni and cheese? Get 10 delicious classic mac & cheese recipes to try, many of which might be new to you!
The mystery of Pan Am Flight 7, flying between San Francisco to Honolulu, crashed mysteriously midway between the two cities. The cause has yet to be determined.
Richard Nixon’s final presidential crisis truly began with the ruling that he could no longer withhold 64 disputed White House tapes from the Watergate prosecutors. Here is the story of the last days before Nixon’s resignation.
See original vintage headlines, news stories, photos and more from the Japanese attack on Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor, marking the American entry into WWII.
After shooting several people at a school in San Diego in 1979, teen Brenda Ann Spencer told a reporter, ‘I just did it for the fun of it. I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day.’
Check out these old-time cookie recipes from the turn of the century to see what people loved to bake back more than 100 years ago!
Are potato chip cookies really a thing? They are – and they can be an absolutely delicious blend of salty and sweet. Try one of these recipes to find out for yourself!
If you can spare no money, and have no time to make pretty and inexpensive things, give pleasant words and wishes, and rediscover the truest joy of Christmas giving
Find out what set in motion the deadly chain of events that led to General Custer’s troops being overwhelmed by Sitting Bull’s force of 8,000 Lakota & Cheyenne during The Battle of Little Bighorn.
These stories and clippings show the world’s joy over the birth of a celebrity newborn – Carrie Fisher. The woman behind Star Wars’ Princess Leia grew up to be not only a well-known actress, but also an author, screenwriter and producer.
What can you serve in the punch bowl? Some society ladies of Southern Mississippi offered these 21 fruity vintage punch recipes in the summer of 1969!
To help keep an eye on the war, during both WWI and WWII, the Navy asked to borrow binoculars from American citizens, paying them $1 per pair – which was much cheaper and simpler than buying new optics for the military.
‘Man-eating shark attacks’ made the headlines back in 1916 after there were several attacks and deaths from sharks off the coast of New Jersey and New York. Find out what happened here!
Who won $10,000 in 1976’s national chicken cooking contest? Find out, get the prize-winning chicken recipe – plus those for the 4 runners up!
The ghosts and goblins, witches and spirits that are so much a part of every October now, have their roots in superstitions from many centuries ago. Here’s a look at the strange history of Halloween!
How the Salk vaccine works to fight polio (from 1955) By Herman N Bundesen, MD – The Plain Speaker (Hazleton, Pennsylvania) May 13, 1955 The
Pumpkin is so versatile that it is a natural for our rich heritage of regional cooking. The varieties of pumpkin pie are seemingly endless. The following recipes are a sampling of some of these American favorites.
If you have been looking for the perfect authentic old-fashioned fruitcake, this is for you! Get 20 traditional Southern fruitcake recipes – from Plantation Fruit Cake and beyond – right here.
The first article here takes a look back at the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 100 years later, from 1905.
Find out about the teen marriages of Sonny Wisecarver – aka “The Woo Woo Kid” – who went on to inspire the 1987 movie ‘In the Mood,’ starring Patrick Dempsey.
Find out about the classic TV sitcom Rhoda, and meet the star, Valerie Harper, in two different vintage interviews!
What is a Watergate Cake? It’s the popular dessert made with a recipe that was passed around a lot in the mid-1970s. In the name of historical research, we decided to give this vintage cake recipe try! Here’s how it turned out.
Here’s a look at a few dozen type styles from the first part of the 20th century – including a few old-fashioned fonts that have stood the test of time.
Why so much excitement? Because the teacher brings a basket brimming with weepuls — doughnut-hole-sized bits of brightly colored fur with shaky eyes and sticky feet.
Get 25 tips on how to conserve water inside and outside your home, developed in 1977, during California’s drought.
In the olden days, you needed a telephone operator to connect your call manually through a switchboard. Her job wasn’t as easy as you might think.
Find out more about World War II’s important military offensive, the Battle of the Bulge, and see several pictures from the snowy scene.
Fax it! That phrase became as much of a cliche in the ’80s as ‘We’ll do lunch.’ Look at how vintage fax machines quickly outgrew fad status.
The Titanic was one of the most luxurious, well-appointed cruise liners ever, with seemingly no expense spared… except when it came to passenger safety in the event of an emergency. Artists had a lot to say about safety and Titanic lifeboats.
Albert Einstein’s wife, Elsa, may not have been a scientist – but she understood her husband, at least.
In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson went before a joint session of Congress, and the United States formally declared war – The Great War, which became known as World War 1 – on April 6, 1917.
Fleeing the sinking ship in lifeboats, many Titanic survivors were saved by the first rescue ship on the scene. See how it happened, and what it was like when they finally made it to New York.
After a lengthy crime spree, Bonnie & Clyde were finally caught and killed in 1934: Clyde Barrow, the Southwest’s No. 1 outlaw, and his gunwoman companion, Bonnie Parker, were trapped and shot dead by Texas and Louisiana officers.
Never having to come up from underground? Cars routinely going 130 MPH? Completely automated cleaning? Solar power dominant? See these and many more predictions from 1906!
Upon the news of Elvis Presley’s sudden and untimely death, the nation mourned – and the singer’s records charted again after fans across the country immediately started to buy lots of his albums.
For six years, the NBC series St Elsewhere literally set the standard for network programming, offering a consistently high level of realistic writing, ensemble acting, narrative experimentation and outrageous humor.
Surprise baby is puzzling doctors – Mother had no idea baby was coming until doctor brought her into the world
Originally designed as a show car for General Motors’ Motorama display in early 1953, the Chevrolet Corvette generated so much buzz, GM decided to put the ’53 Corvette into production.
See a collection of newspaper clippings immediately after the murder of Kirsten Costas, chroniciling the immediate news reports about the crime and the community’s shock, and some of the police work involved in the effort to find the killer.
Versatile meatballs have become one of the most often served and enjoyed — foods on American tables. Get 10 recipes for these family favorites here!
“How did he propose?” was asked in a series of nationally-syndicated newspaper columns during the early 1920s. Here’s a selection of some of the best engagement stories – from the sweet and simple to the too-cute-for-words.
In a spangled vest and elbow-length gloves, black bikini, black opera hose and steep ankle-strap wedgies, Tim Curry as Dr Frank N Furter, makes his grand entrance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, an outrageous camp musical based on the stage hit.
Actor Bob Crane murdered: The star of the TV series Hogan’s Heroes, was found beaten to death in an apartment in Scottsdale, Arizona in June 1978. The case is still unsolved.
The alert Watergate TV addict should have spotted it by now: a catchy word here, a switchable phrase there. Here’s a look at the linguistic splendors of Watergate.
Take a look back at the most popular names for dogs from the 1870s!
A confused and stunned nation searched for answers to what caused the catastrophic explosion of the space shuttle Challenger that sent schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe and six other astronauts to a fiery death 74 seconds after liftoff Tuesday.
Here are 14 newspaper front pages from across the United States telling the news of the George Herbert Walker Bush’s presidential election in November 1988.
That amazing turkey dinner is going to need carving, so why not learn how to do it right? Here are some easy tips for how to carve turkey that you can keep in mind this Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday!
Take a look at a few of the many ways the recipe for a Thanksgiving staple – the old-fashioned green bean casserole – has been made over the years.
Thanksgiving presupposes thankfulness. One cannot give thanks unless he feels thankful, and this feeling is a cultivated habit.
In addition to traditional pecan pie recipes, we have vintage variations with delicious extras like caramel, chocolate, coconut, butterscotch, coffee and bourbon.
