After Monroe Edwards died in Sing Sing prison in 1847, penny dreadfuls memorialized him as the most celebrated American forger until the turn of the century. With a bizarre biography too complicated f
The Army of the Potomac’s mounted units suffered early in the Civil War at the hands of the horsemen of the South. However, by 1863, the Federal cavalry had evolved into a fighting machine. Despite th
On his twenty-sixth horrifying mission over the hostile skies of Nazi Europe, a charismatic bombardier, seated at the nose of a B-17, strapped on his parachute as his disintegrating bomber dropped unc
Competing with the likes of Detroit and Ann Arbor, Jackson won the battle to build Michigan’s first state prison in 1838. During the era of the “Big House” and industrial growth, the penitentiary’s on
Upon declaration of war on April 6, 1917, Redlands mobilized immediately. The local National Guard Company G departed on April 4 to Arcadia and quickly relocated to San Diego. Residents worked to esta
Shortly after Cleburne landed the largest railroad shops west of the Mississippi, it set its sights on securing a professional baseball team. Against the odds, Cleburne became a Texas League town in 1
Widely known for its musical influence, Beale Street was also once a hub for Hoodoo culture. Many blues icons, such as Big Memphis Ma Rainey and Sonny Boy Williamson, dabbled in the mysterious traditi
At seventeen, Floyd Burton Loveless became the youngest person ever executed by the state of Nevada. What led him to that end was just as tragic. Following a series of family catastrophes, Loveless wa
Elko County in Nevada’s remote northeastern corner has long attracted independent, spirited individuals determined to carve out lives of their own. Born to former slaves, Henry Harris worked his way f
Tommy Osborn's star was rising. The young Nashville lawyer led a band of Tennessee reformers to victory in a landmark Supreme Court case. Hailed by Chief Justice Earl Warren as the most important of h
Hampton Roads is an iconic destination, but the "birthplace of America" has a nefarious past. Dive into the story of cannibalism in the Jamestown colony and learn the gory details of the tale of the W
Arizona has stories as peculiar as its stunning landscapes. The Lost Dutchman's rumored cache of gold sparked a legendary feud. Kidnapping victim Larcena Pennington Page survived two weeks alone in th
During World War II, Michigan became a temporary home to six thousand German and Italian POWs. At a time of homefront labor shortages, they picked fruit in Berrien County, harvested sugar beets in the
For centuries, California's environment has nurtured remarkable people. Ohlone Lope Inigo found a way to protect his family in troubled times on the shores of San Francisco Bay. Pioneer Juana Briones
Detroit's auto heritage is known worldwide, but this fascinating city's history runs much deeper. Step inside the tiny recording studio where Berry Gordy, a young entrepreneur who faced tremendous pre
Historically speaking, Sacramento benefited from a gold rush, an agricultural boom and, more recently, a brewing renaissance. The region's craft beer scene exploded from six to more than sixty breweri
Vermont is a picturesque landscape, but the idyllic setting hides a sometimes dark and desperate past. H.H. Holmes, America's first serial killer, may have been the University of Vermont's deadliest s
The Delaware Bay during the Revolutionary War was vital for trade and home to a host of armed conflicts between British vessels and American privateers. Cape May County captains in their light, fast v
Cape Cod may be a popular tourist destination, but it has more than its share of strange and unique history. The Pukwudgies were two- to three-foot beings with smooth gray skin, hairy faces and horns.
The Badger State's thriving upland bird population beckons hunters from across the country. Author Ken M. Blomberg recollects nearly half a century of the hunt in his backyard grouse paradise. Marshal