Cool Obscure Facts

Guess what the newest exhibit at Colonial Williamsburg is – a coffee house!From The Washington Post:”Now [Williamsburg] is home to the modest Charlton’s Coffeehouse, built from scratch on historic foundations and billed as the only 18th-century coffeehouse in America.””At some point in the 1760s a young immigrant named Richard Charlton…

The Red Poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day, 11 November. Remembrance Day was started in 1919 as Armistice Day, to honor the end of The Great War. The War to End Wars. Which came to be known as World War I. After World War II, the name was changed…

November 5, 1765″This was the anniversary of the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot, in which Guy Fawkes figured, in 1605. Pope’s day, however, originated in 1558, on the accession of Queen Elizabeth. At first, the Pope and the Devil were the only pageants, but it afterwards became somewhat changed. These…

Yet again, people with good intentions are out on the walking mall trying to save the souls of Halloween celebrants. And once again I have to laugh.Because Wiccans don’t celebrate Halloween.Wiccans and pagans in the Celtic tradition celebrate Samhain (most commonly pronounced Sow (ow as in ouch) – inn). This…

In the professional world of historians, there is some debate over the presence of truth in history. (For those of you who are students of history, this concept will come as no surprise.)The idea is, other than dates of events, all else is filtered through the person relating the fact….

“He is what you might call a “chick chaser.” That, I believe, is the term for old guys who choose ’em very youthful. Old girls who like young men are called “veal hunters.” Thus the English language is enriched every day.” – Damon Runyon, 23 January 1927And thus proving there…

From the Archives:Yes, we’re back to piercing again. This is sort of a tangent off of my Victorian Breast Piercing Research – it’s male piercing. If you don’t know what a Prince Albert piercing is … try Wikipedia.You will find many websites – and even books – declaring that this…

From the Archive:Okay, I’ve found another book that mentions the “bosom ring” – it says that Victorian English women would go to France to get their nipples pierced.This book is from the same era (1970s) as the other book that referenced Victorian nipple-piercing. It does not contain any direct quote…

From the Archives:That got your attention, right? I’ve been off doing research for a Victorian short story I’m writing. I luuvvvv doing research. This is one of the books I read. Tell me what you think:A history of make-up by Maggie AngeloglouMy reviewrating: 4 of 5 starsI really liked this…

Ever wonder why New York City is called The Big Apple?According to Landis MacKellar’s book The Double Indemnity Murder, famous evangelist Billy Sunday, pictured here preaching, once said, “If America is the Garden of Eden, then New York is a big, rotten apple.”This quote most likely was proclaimed before his…