Information Archives - Page 287 of 445

How Flour Millers Brought a Steamboat to the Prairie in Arkansas City, Kansas

In 1885 the flour millers of Arkansas City, Kansas, brought a flat-bottomed steamboat up the Arkansas River. It carried 100 people in 13 inches of water.

Before It Had a Patent, a New Monkey Wrench Made the News in Versailles, Missouri

Historical Facts, Missouri

At Thanksgiving 1906 a Pennsylvania inventor visited Versailles, Missouri, with a new quick monkey wrench. See how it worked and what a wrench cost.

A Magician Swapped Places With a Boy Locked in a Trunk in Wichita, Kansas

Historical Facts, Kansas

In 1900 a magician called Durno traded places with a boy sealed in a sack and locked in a trunk in Wichita, Kansas, in about two seconds.

Did You Know Chicago, Illinois, Went Two Summers Without Its Ball Club After the Great Fire?

Historical Facts, Illinois

The Great Fire of 1871 took Chicago’s pro ball club too. In 1874 the White Stockings came home, and 5,000 fans watched them win 4 to 0.

The Old Chief Who Said Bismarck, North Dakota, Stood on His People’s Land

Historical Facts, North Dakota

In 1899 Hidatsa chief Crow Flies High came to Bismarck, North Dakota, with a $1 million land claim. He took home a line of type. In 1930 his people won.

Meteor or Airplane? A Man in York, South Carolina, Said He Saw Two People Inside

Historical Facts, South Carolina

In April 1918 a fireball crossed the Carolinas at dusk. In York, South Carolina, some folks insisted it was an airplane and heard the propellers.

The Night 70 Lawyers in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Saw Their Younger Selves on the Big Screen

Historical Facts, Pennsylvania

In 1916, about 70 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, lawyers watched their childhood pictures flash on a screen, sang the answers, and turned the streetlights red.

Loveland, Colorado, Fed Thousands of Strangers Free Corn. Locals Were Asked to Wait.

Colorado, Historical Facts

Every fall, Loveland, Colorado, roasted corn in a giant pit and fed thousands of visitors for free. In 1905 the town expected 10,000 strangers.

Before Air Conditioning, a Giant Steam Fan Cooled Concert Crowds in New York City

Historical Facts, New York

In 1877, a steam-driven fan wheel pushed fresh air through wooden pipes at Gilmore’s Garden in New York City. Crowds found it cooler inside than on the street.