I have read multiple books about the women, known as the Hello Girls, who served as telephone switchboard operators in the US Army during World War I. I am enamored of their story and yet cannot seem to find the words to talk about them and explain why exactly this story has such a hold…
Once upon a time, there was a young girl who loved giraffes so much she went to college to study biology and then moved to Africa to study them in the wild. At a time when few scientists had ever studied wild animals in their natural habitats — and even fewer women were allowed to…
If you give a widow a house, she’ll roll it off into the country… History is full of odd little stories like this one. Most of them will remain hidden in the past but every now and then, one of them is discovered, dusted off, and brought into the light of the present day to…
Have you ever worked in a sports stadium? Are you curious about all the different moving parts it takes for an event to run smoothly? Here are just a few of the different stadium event jobs: Today’s deep dive and walk down memory lane started with, of course, a podcast episode! Meet Jonah the Vendor…
Does this idea intrigue you? If you passed by a museum of ordinary people on your next vacation would you stop inside to see what it’s all about? I definitely would! I love all museums but I hold a soft spot in my heart for the small, quirky museums dotted around the countryside. Museums created…
Everyone knows about the Pony Express. It’s one of the most romanticized failed business ventures in American history. I am one of many Americans fascinated by the legend of the Pony Express. I have visited a Pony Express museum, and a Pony Express station, and even sent letters via the Pony Express. Clearly, I am…
I recently attended an (online) event at the Smithsonian Postal Museum about Rural Mail Carriers where I learned that the mail was once delivered on horseback. This should not have been a surprise to me and yet it was. The speaker, Emily Hilliard, was specifically interviewing Appalachian mail carriers and the horseback mail delivery immediately…
“A good puzzle makes the solver feel smart.” David Kwong A Brief History of the Crossword Puzzle The first crossword puzzle was created by journalist Arthur Wynne and published in the New York World on Sunday, December 21, 1913. Other publications also began to publish similar puzzles and it had become a popular fad in…
In a recent poll, twenty percent of the people said that they wanted a pet giraffe. I already liked giraffes myself but after researching these stories a bit more, I am definitely part of the giraffe-loving crowd. Of course, I was also ready to get a camel after researching them a few months ago. Do…
I love animals, and squirrels are very fun to watch. A while back, I even wrote about a day in the life of a squirrel. Despite my love of their antics and cute faces, I have never considered a pet squirrel, but apparently there are several famous pet squirrels throughout history. Always a squirrel fan,…
One of my favorite podcasts, Stuff You Should Know, recently published an episode about water towers. I LOVE water towers so I was super excited to listen. It turns out that Josh and Chuck are also fans but it did make me wonder. Am I unique in my love for water towers? Josh and Chuck…
West with Giraffes is an emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America. “Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…” Woodrow Wilson Nickel, West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge Official Synopsis Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his…