The Cardiff Giant was one of the most famous hoaxes in American history. It was a 10-foot-tall (3.0 m), 3,000 pound purported “petrified man” uncovered on October 16, 1869, by workers digging a well behind the barn of William C. “Stub” Newell in Cardiff, New York. He covered the giant with a tent and itContinue reading “The Story of the Cardiff Giant, the Greatest Hoax in American History”
Tag Archives: 1800s
Here’s the Earliest Known Image of Women’s Hockey, ca. 1890
This 1890 photograph is the oldest-known picture of women playing hockey, taken at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Isobel Stanley, daughter of Lord Stanley, is seen wearing white.
16 Colorized Portraits Photos of Celebrities From the 19th Century
Up until the 1950s and 1960s, color photography was extremely rare, and so when we think about history prior to that time, we often envision it in black and white. Colorized photos of French stage actress Sarah Bernhardt and English actress Ellen Terry in the 1860s Today’s technology now enables us to colorize historical photos,Continue reading “16 Colorized Portraits Photos of Celebrities From the 19th Century”
Scalped in 1867 by Cheyenne in Nebraska, Here’s the Story Behind William Thompson’s Scalp
Scalping is often depicted in old-timey cowboy-and-Indian movies with lots of quavering music and dramatic pauses. But then you see the real scalp under a bell jar and it isn’t so melodramatic anymore. William Thompson’s scalp, archived at the Main Library in Omaha, Nebraska, looks more like some sort of rodent than an impactful partContinue reading “Scalped in 1867 by Cheyenne in Nebraska, Here’s the Story Behind William Thompson’s Scalp”
March 31, 1889: The Eiffel Tower Is Opened
The Eiffel Tower was built to be the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. Construction was started by Gustave Eiffel’s company in January 1887 and completed in March 1889. On March 31, 1889, the Eiffel Tower is dedicated in Paris in a ceremony presided over by Gustave Eiffel, the tower’s designer, and attendedContinue reading “March 31, 1889: The Eiffel Tower Is Opened”
60 Vintage Photos of the Anglo-Egyptian Army in Sudan During the Battle of Omdurman on 2 September 1898
The Battle of Omdurman was fought during the Anglo-Egyptian conquest of Sudan between a British–Egyptian expeditionary force commanded by British Commander-in-Chief (sirdar) major general Horatio Herbert Kitchener and a Sudanese army of the Mahdist Islamic State, led by Abdullah al-Taashi, the successor to the self-proclaimed Mahdi, Muhammad Ahmad. The battle took place on 2 SeptemberContinue reading “60 Vintage Photos of the Anglo-Egyptian Army in Sudan During the Battle of Omdurman on 2 September 1898”
Sarah Rosetta Wakeman aka Lyons Wakeman: A Woman’s Life as a Man in the Civil War
In 1940, Jackson Doane, of Binghamton, unearthed a packet of letters, a ring and a picture in his family’s attic from Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, the older sister of Jackson’s great-grandmother. She was a family member that seemed to be little spoken about — and little known. In 1976, Jackson read those letters, discovering that theyContinue reading “Sarah Rosetta Wakeman aka Lyons Wakeman: A Woman’s Life as a Man in the Civil War”
Victorian Readers: 40 Vintage Portraits of People Posing With Their Books From 19th Century
Victorians were great readers of the novel, and the number of novels available for them to read increased enormously during Victoria’s reign. The activity of reading benefited hugely from wider schooling and increased literacy rates, from the cheapening costs of publication, from improved distribution that resulted from better transportation, and, towards the end of theContinue reading “Victorian Readers: 40 Vintage Portraits of People Posing With Their Books From 19th Century”
40 Wonderful Portraits of Victorian Couples on Their Wedding Days
The wedding day was considered to be the most important day in the life of a Victorian girl. The girls were taught from the early age to marry and to take care of the family. The marriage of a girl was something very special for the mother, the soon to be bride and her family.Continue reading “40 Wonderful Portraits of Victorian Couples on Their Wedding Days”
26 Amazing Vintage Photos of First Nations People Before the 1900s
Alex Ross (1851–1894) came to Calgary, Alberta in 1884 and set up a photographic studio at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Osler Street. He had previously worked for a photographer in Winnipeg, but felt the time was right to strike out on his own and establish his own business. He quickly became well-known forContinue reading “26 Amazing Vintage Photos of First Nations People Before the 1900s”
