American History

A whooping crane in flight in Texas.

The Hopeful Mid-Century Conservation Story of the (Still Endangered) Whooping Crane

There were just 15 whooping cranes left in 1952. Today there are around 600

Last year's winner in the World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition's Decorative Lifesize Wildfowl category, "Livingstone's Turaco" by Thomas Horn.

Where Duck Decoys Became High Art

See more than 1,200 of these bobbing bits of history at the upcoming world championship

A 19th century bomb sitting on the lawn of antiques collector Bruce Wescott

Collector Finds Live 19th-Century Cannonball

A fuse appeared to be attached to the explosive device

Though there were two different buildings called the "White House of the Confederacy," the White House–pictured here in 1905–has always remained the White House.

A Tale of Two White Houses

The Confederacy had its own White House—two, actually

Massasoit statue in Plymouth, Massachusetts

Massasoit, Chief Who Signed Treaty With the Pilgrims, To Be Reburied

After a 20-year search, members of the Wampanoag Nation have collected his remains from museums

The "Albany Fire Protectors" seen in this undated, probably late-19th century photograph, might have used a fire pole.

Fire Poles Saved Time, But They Also Injured Firefighters

Many fire departments across the country have phased out the pole

New York Water Taxi

How New York City Is Rediscovering Its Maritime Spirit

The city's waterfront fell into dangerous decline, but now its on the rebound with a new wave of money and creativity

Billie Holiday sung 'Strange Fruit' throughout her career after first performing the song in 1939.

Billie Holiday’s Label Wouldn’t Touch 'Strange Fruit'

The emotive song about lynching in the American South is both a classic and a warning

This illustration from The Murders in the Rue Morgue portrays Dupin, the first literary 'genius detective,' questioning a suspect.

Without Edgar Allan Poe, We Wouldn't Have Sherlock Holmes

C. Auguste Dupin, Poe's main character, was the first genius detective

George Washington, 1795-1796

George Washington Had Nothing Good to Say About Nepotism

The first president was exceedingly wary of any semblance of impropriety

From the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

This Jigsaw Puzzle Was Given to Ellis Island Immigrants to Test Their Intelligence

A confusing set of blocks could seal their fate

John Adams's official presidential portrait, painted circa 1792 by John Turnbull.

John Adams Was the United States’ First Ambassador as Well as Its Second President

Adams's house in the Hague was the first-ever U.S. Embassy

Jefferson Davis

The Trial of the Century That Wasn't

The case against Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, would have been a legal showdown of the ages

A Paean to PBS’ “Mercy Street”: The One Show That Got the Civil War Right

The short-lived show offered the best screen portrayal of the war the country has ever seen

Workers at Lockheed Jet Bomber Plant, Marietta, Georgia, 1953

These Photos Offer a Glimpse Into the Racial Politics of the 1950s South

Before he became a sports photographer, John G. Zimmerman captured a past that feels all too present

Wife Stands by Babe and Defies Accuser by Underwood & Underwood, 1925

Would the Legendary Babe Ruth Still Be a Star if He Played Today?

Award-winning sportswriter Jane Leavy says the Bambino would be as big a personality as he was in his own time

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Learn the Secret History of Your State With These Addictive Podcasts

Use this indispensable guide to find out which podcast will be next on your listen list

Paul Revere gets all the credit, but he had a little help from his friends.

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and Some Other Guys

The midnight ride wasn’t so much a solo operation as it was a relay

A souvenir program from the 1925 Woman's World's Fair in Chicago.

A Look Back at the 1925 Woman’s World Fair

After the success of the Chicago World's Fair, women made their own event

Sneak Peek: The Lost Tapes: LA Riots

On April 29, 1992, Los Angeles erupted into chaos after four white LAPD officers were acquitted for beating African-American motorist Rodney King

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