Was Paul Bunyan Real?

Paul Bunyan illustration

Author Timothy Ott

November 14, 2024

Love it?53

Even in this age of internet-inspired distractions, Paul Bunyan remains a well-known figure in the pantheon of American icons. It’s easy to see why when considering his portfolio. A hardworking lumberjack, Bunyan cleared entire forests with a single stroke of his ax; created natural formations such as the Grand Canyon with his sheer size and strength; and was even kind to animals, as illustrated by his longtime companionship with Babe the Blue Ox. No fewer than six towns lay claim to being his birthplace, while others boast a variety of Bunyan statues, restaurants, and events.

Of course, part of the attraction to this legendary figure stems from the exaggerations inherent to the tall-tale tradition. We know there wasn’t really a human so massive he needed to be carried by five storks as a baby and created entire lakes when his footsteps filled with water. On the other hand, it’s often pointed out that truth is stranger than fiction, so perhaps there was a real-life lumberjack so unusually strong and brave that he inspired the character who grew to such outlandish proportions in the stories that followed. Peering back through the legend’s many branches, here’s a look at where and when this larger-than-life woodsman first marked his presence.

Credit: CSA-Printstock/ DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

The Possible Real-Life Inspiration for Bunyan

One candidate for the real-life Bunyan was a French Canadian logger by the name of Fabian “Saginaw Joe” Fournier. A large man who supposedly sported two full sets of adult teeth, Fournier was known for his shows of strength and hard-drinking ways, until he was killed in the rough-and-tumble logging town of Bay City, Michigan, in 1875.

The other main hypothesized model for the tall-tale icon was a French Canadian lumberman named Bon Jean, an alleged participant in Lower Canada’s Papineau Rebellion of 1837. Bon Jean’s formidable reputation spread across the border by way of his countrymen who sought work in the Great Lakes region, and, the theory goes, his Québécois moniker was eventually Americanized to “Bunyan.”

However, according to Michael Edmonds, author of Out of the Northwoods: The Many Lives of Paul Bunyan, there are problems with both of these origin stories. The source of the Fournier theory was a logger-turned-writer named James MacGillivray, who published some of the earliest newspaper stories about Bunyan in the early 20th century. But his own source proved to be dubious. Decades later, MacGillivray wrote in a letter how he’d learned of the Fournier connection from a timber cruiser (land appraiser) named Jimmy Conn. However, that contradicted an earlier account of MacGillivray’s in which he claimed to have heard of Fournier back in 1887, a time when Conn was just a teenager and too young to hold such an advanced position.

Edmonds traces the Papineau Rebellion theory, meanwhile, to author James Stevens, who relayed the anecdotes of a French Canadian old-timer for his popular 1925 book about Bunyan. Over the years, the identity of this participant in the uprising was fused with that of a French Canadian folk character named Bon Jean. However, researchers who combed the archives of information related to the rebellion found no mention of a Bunyan or anyone with a similar name.

It’s quite possible that a logger with bulging muscles and nerves of steel made his way into the first Bunyan tales by hauling a massive white pine trunk or overpowering a vicious beast of the north woods. However, the identity of such an individual — or individuals — was unknown when researchers first began digging for him more than a century ago, and it remains unknown today with the original sources long gone.

The Story’s Logging Camp Origins

Per Edmonds, the first Bunyan stories originated in Wisconsin in the mid-1880s. The state's logging industry had been up and running for a few decades, and grizzled veterans began dropping references to a powerful and cunning camp foreman named Paul Bunyan as a means of testing the gullibility of newer workers.

Many of the earliest references were mentioned in passing, and would often be followed by quips from other loggers in the field in an improvised game of one-upmanship. However, other Bunyan stories were told in more of the traditional across-the-bunker or around-the-campfire format.

Such was the case with the first verified Bunyan tales, which date to a logging camp north of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, during the winter of 1885 to 1886. According to the separate recollections of veteran lumbermen, a timber cruiser named Bill Mulhollen was responsible for spreading the word about Bunyan that season, until workers finally realized that his wild and crazy stories were entirely fiction.

But while the first accounts point back to Mulhollen, it's unknown where (or whether) he heard them from someone else. Edmonds floats the theory that the original storyteller may have been another veteran logger named Eugene Shepard, who long claimed to have invented the Bunyan myth. While Shepard wasn't exactly a trustworthy source, he was clever enough to fool a section of the population into thinking he'd captured a mythical creature known as the hodag, so he was clearly adept at spinning outlandish but convincing stories.

Credit: Harvey Meston/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

The Legend Spreads and Expands

From their beginning in the Wisconsin woods, the stories of Bunyan passed among roving workers from the Great Lakes to Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Minnesota, and eventually further west to Washington, Oregon, and California with the rest of the logging industry.

As they were devised by lumber workers, the original anecdotes often reflected the day-to-day realities of chopping and moving trees, unusual encounters with native flora and fauna, and after-work shenanigans of drinking and fighting. While the exploits of their hero were exaggerated, these anecdotes lacked the tall-tale elements of Bunyan creating natural geographic formations due to his gargantuan size and strength.

That began to change after the Red River Lumber Company launched an advertising campaign in 1914 based on Bunyan's image. Featuring the drawings of former logger William B. Laughead, the campaign included several Bunyan stories with embellishments such as Laughead's invention of Babe the Blue Ox.

Although the initial campaign flopped — most non-lumberjack customers had never heard of Bunyan — a second campaign enjoyed a stronger reception in 1922. Folklorist Esther Shephard then published a widely read book of Bunyan stories in 1924, followed by Stevens' compilation the following year. In 1927, the first collection of Bunyan children's tales appeared in print.

By this point, the white pines that once dominated the north Midwestern landscape were largely gone. However, the legend of the indomitable woodsman born in that harsh environment loomed larger than ever, his presence eclipsing those of the loggers who told of his deeds and any real-life figure who might have ignited the narrative flame.

These Retro Toys Are the Perfect Unique Gifts for All Ages

Boy with Lincoln Logs

Author Kristina Wright

November 13, 2024

Love it?54

Ready to take a trip down memory lane? Before tablets, touchscreens, and Wi-Fi, toys were all about tactile fun, imagination, and the joy of hands-on play. Today, retro toys carry a special charm, reminding us of simpler times when even a bouncy spring or simple building blocks could offer hours of entertainment. In a world where tech toys are constantly evolving, these classics have stayed true to their roots — some have barely changed from their original designs, while others have adapted for new audiences in surprising ways.

Whether you’re looking to reconnect with your childhood favorites or introduce a new generation to the magic of these timeless playthings, these retro toys will bring a touch of nostalgia.

Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots (1965)

With the tagline “Knock his block off!” and a comic book-worthy illustration on the box, Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots quickly captivated audiences when they were introduced in 1965 by toy designer Marvin Glass. This two-person game featuring boxing robots Red Rocker and Blue Bomber inspired many a playful boxing match in the decades that followed, and is still capturing imaginations today. A live-action movie starring Vin Diesel is rumored to be in the works, but until these toy robots hit the big screen, you can find them at Walmart for $21.92.

View-Master (1939)

Long before virtual reality headsets, the View-Master offered a window to the world, displaying stereoscopic 3D images of popular travel destinations. The original version, known as Sawyer’s View-Master, was introduced at the 1939 New York World’s Fair and was intended to replace the traditional postcard. The stereoscope quickly became popular with adults and children alike. You can find a contemporary version of this classic toy at Target for $9.99. For a more personalized experience, you can customize your own reel viewer disk at Uncommon Goods — it’s $34.95 for one reel viewer and a reel redemption code, and $16.95 for each additional reel.

Credit: MirageC/ Moment via Getty Images

Slinky (1945)

Invented by mechanical engineer Richard James at a Philadelphia shipyard in 1943, the Slinky was an accidental discovery that came out of the development of a line of sensitive springs designed to stabilize fragile equipment on ships. Two years later, James demonstrated the toy — named by his wife, Betty James — at Gimbels department store in Philadelphia and sold his entire stock of 400 toys within 90 minutes. Today, the Slinky comes in a variety of colorful, plastic styles, but the original Slinky is still the most popular version. You can buy it on Amazon for $3.59.

Mouse Trap (1963)

Created by two employees at Marvin Glass and Associates and sold by Ideal in 1963, Mouse Trap was one of the first mass-produced 3D board games. The game’s engaging Rube Goldberg-style design involves collaborative and competitive gameplay. Unlike other board games where players race or strategize to a simple endpoint, Mouse Trap’s interactive design is all about players collaborating to build an intricate mechanism where each piece sets off a chain reaction, ultimately resulting in a tiny plastic cage dropping down to “trap” an opponent’s mouse-shaped game piece. Originally designed as a fun way to teach engineering concepts, Mouse Trap combines the thrill of strategy with the satisfaction of building. This family favorite has been updated and is available from major retailers and on Amazon for $21.28.

Credit: Mario Ruiz/ The Chronicle Collection via Getty Images

Mr. Potato Head (1952)

Invented by George Lerner and launched by Hasbro in 1952, Mr. Potato Head was originally sold as a kit of 30 plastic parts meant to be inserted into real potatoes. It became the first toy ever advertised on television, earning the company more than $4 million in its first few months and spurring other toy companies to start their own television marketing campaigns. In 1953, Mrs. Potato Head was introduced, and by 1964 the toy had evolved to include a plastic potato body with holes for facial features and limbs. Available at most toy retailers, Mr. Potato Head and Mrs. Potato Head, along with a Potato Head family-of-three kit, are also available on Amazon for $5.00 to $19.99.

Credit: KAREN BLEIER/ AFP via Getty Images

Etch A Sketch (1960)

Invented in Paris by electrician André Cassagnes in the late 1950s, the Etch A Sketch used a unique internal system of a stylus and pulleys to create an electrostatic charge that would hold aluminum powder to the glass screen. Discovered by the Ohio Art Company at the 1959 Nuremberg Toy Fair, the mechanical drawing toy was launched during the 1960 holiday season and quickly became a symbol of mess-free creative play. Two large knobs control the vertical and horizontal movements of the internal stylus, allowing users to draw images as simple or as elaborate as they like. This red-framed classic continues to offer a screen-free way to entertain and challenge the imagination. Available at most toy retailers, including Amazon for $23.99, the Etch A Sketch also comes in a mini version.

Credit: B Christopher/ Alamy Stock Photo

Lincoln Logs (1916)

The building kits known as Lincoln Logs were first conceived in 1916 by John Lloyd Wright, the son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Inspired by his father’s earthquake-proof design for the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, John began marketing his toy cabin construction kit in 1918 and received a patent two years later. He named the product Lincoln Logs for Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood log cabin in Kentucky. This classic American toy is still widely available from toy retailers such as Fat Brain Toys, which offers the 268-piece Lincoln Logs Classic Farmhouse for $129.95. A smaller 111-piece set is also available on Amazon for $45.07.

The Game of Life (1960)

One of America’s oldest board games, The Game of Life — or Life, as it’s typically known — started its own life in 1860 as The Checkered Game of Life. The first board game invented by Milton Bradley, it originally included squares for disgrace, intemperance, poverty, and ruin as it guided players on a morality journey where success or failure was based on decisions made along the way. To celebrate its centennial in 1960, the Milton Bradley Company released an updated version of the game, changing the name to The Game of Life and shifting the focus from moral lessons to a modern life journey through experiences such as college, marriage, career choices, and family. The most recent updates to The Game of Life include the ability to adopt pets and an impressive 31 career options, and the game rules encourage players to “choose a path for a life of action, adventure, and unexpected surprises.” You can spin the wheel on the contemporary version of The Game of Life for $21.99 at Amazon.

We Cooked the World’s Oldest Written Recipes

Two bowls of food

Author Bennett Kleinman

November 7, 2024

Love it?90

The ancient Babylonians, who lived in modern-day Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria as far back as the early second millennium BCE, were among the earliest human civilizations. They pioneered such concepts as written language, legal justice, and mathematics, and the culinary arts are no exception: The world’s earliest written recipes survive today in the form of ancient Babylonian tablets dating to around 1730 BCE. The tablets were unearthed in the 1920s, but were initially thought to be medical texts. It wasn’t until the 1980s that researchers finally deduced that the artifacts actually comprised an early cookbook — in fact, it’s considered to be the oldest surviving cookbook in the world.

I was curious to see how these early recipes tasted — especially compared to contemporary dishes — so I set out to recreate a couple of them and try them myself. One of the three tablets contains a summary of 25 recipes for various stews and broths, while the other two describe those recipes in more detail. But the tablets still lack critical specifics, such as exact ingredient amounts and cooking times. The translation for one recipe, for instance, simply says, “Meat is not used. You prepare water. You add fat…” and so on, which would have been hard to replicate. Luckily, a team at Yale University used the information on the tablets, along with their scholarly knowledge of ancient Babylon, to compile several modern recipes that are considered accurate interpretations of those ancient meals.

Using their findings, I prepared two of the recipes at home: a lamb and beet stew, and a vegetarian broth whose name has been translated as “unwinding.” (Though it’s unclear why it’s called “unwinding,” experts suggest it could have been a dish people ate to relax.) Despite the ancient nature of these recipes, it wasn’t difficult to compile the ingredients, or at the very least suitable substitutes.

Lamb and Beet Stew

The primary dish I made was a lamb stew. Lambs were among several animals that were domesticated in ancient Mesopotamia, and were a key component of cuisine in the region. Mesopotamia was also an agricultural hot spot that came to be known as the Fertile Crescent — referring to the area’s rich, fertile soil — so it comes as little surprise that the lamb stew contained plenty of fresh veggies as well.

Credit: Original photography by Bennett Kleinman

Ingredients
1 pound diced lamb leg
½ cup rendered fat (we used cow fat instead of sheep fat)
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup beer
½ cup water
1 small chopped onion
1 cup chopped arugula
1 cup spring onions
½ cup cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
1 pound diced red beets
½ cup chopped leek
2 cloves garlic
Coriander seed, cilantro, and kurrat (we used spring onion) for garnish

For this dish, I had to make a few minor adjustments given the ingredients I had available. The recipe as written called for an Egyptian leek called kurrat, which is known for having a mild onion and garlicky flavor. Given the similar flavor profile, spring onions are a suitable alternative, so I used those instead.

The dish also calls for beer, which was a major component of Babylonian culture. It was difficult, of course, to find a beer that would have been exactly like the ones drunk by the ancient Babylonians, but I looked for an option that was as close as possible. Most of the beer recipes archaeologists have uncovered from ancient Babylon are made with barley. Tate Paulette, the author of In the Land of Ninkasi: A History of Beer in Ancient Mesopotamia, writes that “there’s no evidence for the use of hops” in Babylonian beer, unlike in modern beers. He also notes that early beers often included “date syrup, and additional flavorings,” giving them a sweetness. Brew Your Own magazine, meanwhile, points out that many ancient beers were sour in nature. Taking all this into account, I selected a fruity and sour ale to roughly replicate the taste profile of Babylonian beer.

The cooking process for this dish was rather simple, and not unlike how you’d prepare any modern stew. The major difference was how heat was applied — while cooks in ancient Babylon would’ve used an open flame, I used an electric stovetop.

“Unwinding” (Barley Broth)

The “unwinding” recipe is a broth thickened by barley-based bread. The broth contains many similar ingredients to the lamb stew, including salt, scallions, cilantro, garlic, and leeks. In addition, toasted and crushed barley seeds are formed into a dough, baked, and added to the broth. This bread, mind you, isn’t like the loaves we enjoy today. It had a hard, crunchy shell, akin to bread that’s partially gone stale. Also, the inside was crumbly as opposed to the soft and pillowy texture of modern baked breads.

Ingredients
14 ounces barley seeds
¾ cup warm water
½ teaspoon salt
½ ounce spring onion
¼ ounce cilantro
2 cloves garlic
3 ½ ounces leek
2 tablespoons untoasted sesame oil
6 ¼ cups water

Creating the broth was a bit more complicated than the stew, as it required making a sourdough bread, which took multiple days. First, I soaked the barley seeds overnight, then crushed them into dust, mixed them with warm water to form dough, and let the mixture sit for 12 hours. The next day, I baked the dough for 20 minutes before removing and letting it sit on the counter to cool. Then I got to work preparing the broth, which proved to be extremely simple. After letting the mixture simmer for an hour, I crumbled the bread into the broth, resulting in a thicker texture.

The Result

After a simple yet lengthy cooking process, it was time to enjoy these classic Babylonian dishes. Both dishes were reminiscent of some stews and soups that you’d eat today, but the spices and seasoning were less complex, which created a less interesting flavor profile overall. Still, they were pretty tasty and filling.

I can say with confidence that the lamb and beet stew is something I’d gladly cook and eat again, though it wasn’t without its flaws. The lamb, beets, and herbs complemented each other quite nicely in terms of flavor, with the beets providing a natural sweetness that counteracted the earthiness of the meat. The textures were also on point, as the mix of chewy lamb and crunchy root vegetables worked out well.

However, some of the bites I took were too sweet, as there was a lack of earthy spices to even things out. Some simple seasoning would have done wonders in balancing out the recipe, including a bit more salt or some black pepper. However, black pepper is native to Southeast Asia, and it didn’t make its way to Mesopotamia until Asian traders brought it to the region. (It’s unclear exactly when this occurred, but records show that black pepper made its way from India to Egypt around 1500 BCE via trade routes that would have passed through Mesopotamia.) Still, the stew was a warm and delicious dish that would be perfect for a camping trip or cold day.

The broth, on the other hand, was passable albeit rather uninteresting. It contained hints of onion and garlic, and the crumbled barley bread helped to thicken the otherwise thin consistency. There was nothing unpleasant about eating this dish, but little to excite the palate either. It was simply a vegetable stock with a bit of semistale bread mixed in. So while “unwinding” may be a good choice if you’re looking for something light and easily digestible, it isn’t a complex culinary delight like the lamb and beet stew.

In summary, I was surprised by how familiar the cooking process was to the low-and-slow dishes that I frequently make in my kitchen. It’s also fascinating to think just how similar these flavors from 4,000 years ago are to our recipes today. Despite the simple flavor profile, both of these dishes were warm and filling, making them especially good for cooler days.

6 Photos That Define the 1950s

Marilyn Monroe with billowing skirt

Author Tony Dunnell

November 7, 2024

Love it?173

The 1950s were a decade of profound change and contrast, both in American society and globally. For the U.S. in particular, it was an era marked by postwar optimism, economic prosperity, and technological advancements. But it was also a decade of social tensions, Cold War fears, and the ever-increasing stirrings of cultural revolution. These complexities were captured in the period’s photography, from celebrity snaps by the burgeoning paparazzi to powerful images of the Civil Rights Movement taken by experienced photojournalists.

Here are six photos that encapsulate the spirit and struggles of the decade, and have become iconic images of the 1950s.

Einstein Sticking Out His Tongue (1951)

This playful photograph of Albert Einstein sticking out his tongue was taken on the renowned scientist’s 72nd birthday on March 14, 1951. Einstein was seated between Frank Aydelotte, head of the Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, and his wife at a birthday celebration. The paparazzi were lurking outside, hoping to hear from — or at least take a photo of — the world-famous professor. According to some accounts, Einstein was irritated by the photographers and so he stuck his tongue out at them. Whatever his motives, the resulting photo — captured by United Press International photographer Arthur Sasse — was one of levity. It helped establish Einstein’s public image as the “nutty professor,” humanizing one of the greatest scientific minds of the 20th century. Einstein himself loved the photo and had it put on greetings cards that he sent out to friends.

Moviegoers in 3D Glasses (1952)

Photographer J.R. Eyerman’s famous shot, taken in 1952 at the Paramount Theater in Hollywood, California, captures a pivotal moment in cinema history. The image shows a sea of moviegoers, all wearing 3D glasses, transfixed by the screen while watching Bwana Devil, the first full-length color movie in 3D. (The movie’s tagline boldly promised “A lion in your lap! A lover in your arms!”) Eyerman’s photo encapsulated the excitement and novelty of 3D technology in the 1950s, while also presenting a visually impactful image in its own right, with the striking uniformity of the smartly dressed, 3D-glasses-wearing audience. It has since become one of the most recognizable images of 1950s popular culture.

Credit: Hy Peskin Archive/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

“Camelot” (1953)

In 1953, Hy Peskin, an American photographer known for several famous photographs published by Sports Illustrated and LIFE, was invited to take photographs at the home of the Kennedys. Specifically, he was to capture the then-rookie Senator John F. Kennedy and his fiancee, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier. The resulting images offered a casual yet vibrant portrayal of the young couple, in stark contrast to the typically stuffy and polished political photos of the time. One photo, which shows Kennedy and Bouvier on their boat, the Victura, became the first of 20 images of JFK to feature on the cover of LIFE. Now known as “Camelot,” the image fostered public fascination with the young couple, helping pave the way for Kennedy’s presidential victory.

Credit: Keystone Press/ Alamy Stock Photo

Tenzing Norgay on the Summit of Mount Everest (1953)

On May 29, 1953, mountaineers Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary gazed out over Tibet from the highest point on the planet. They had just become the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest, and soon the whole world would hear of their achievement. Many photos were taken during the expedition, but arguably the most famous is that of Norgay, a Nepalese Indian Sherpa, standing atop the highest peak in the world, his ice ax raised triumphantly in the freezing air. Hillary, an explorer from New Zealand, took the photo with a fairly basic Kodak Retina compact camera. There is, however, no comparative image of Hillary standing at the summit — the New Zealander apparently refused a photograph when Norgay offered to return the favor.

Marilyn Monroe in a White Dress (1954)

Marilyn Monroe was a defining figure of the 1950s, representing both the ideal of feminine beauty and changing attitudes toward sexuality. Countless photos were taken of the archetypal “blonde bombshell,” but none is more iconic than Sam Shaw’s photo of Monroe standing over a subway grate as her white dress billows up around her. Shaw, who was a close friend of Monroe’s, took the photo during the filming of The Seven Year Itch. Despite pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable in the conservative 1950s, the image became a near-instant classic in a decade when celebrity worship was reaching new heights.

Elizabeth Eckford and “The Scream” (1957)

In 1957, photojournalist Will Counts captured one of the most recognizable images of America’s Civil Rights Movement. The photo shows 15-year-old African American student Elizabeth Eckford walking alone as she is harassed by angry white protesters during the height of the Central High School desegregation crisis in Little Rock, Arkansas. Eckford appears calm and dignified despite the hostility surrounding her. The image captured one woman in particular in midshout, her face contorted with rage — hence the photo sometimes being known as “The Scream.”

7 Common Items That Used To Be Extremely Valuable

Pineapples awaiting shipment

Author Tony Dunnell

November 7, 2024

Love it?104

When we take a look back through history, we find that many items we now consider commonplace were once rare, exotic, and incredibly valuable. These precious commodities were often out of reach for the majority of people, reserved for royalty and wealthy citizens.

The journey of these items from scarcity to ubiquity tells a fascinating story of human progress, a tale of technological advancements and shifting global economics. Centuries of exploration, agricultural developments, industrial innovations, and the opening of new trade routes transformed our material world. What was once worth its weight in gold may now be found in every household, often used — or even discarded — without a second thought.

Here are some now-common items that have undergone this remarkable transition, from spices that once financed entire cities to beverages that sparked riots and wars.

Credit: Sepia Times/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Salt and Pepper

Salt and pepper were often known as “white gold” and “black gold,” respectively, by merchants of the ancient world. Salt was once essential not just for flavoring food but also for preserving it, making it crucial for survival and expansion. It was transported along the ancient salt routes to markets across Europe, making some citizens, cities, and regions extremely wealthy. The city of Salzburg in Austria, for example, whose name literally means “Salt Castle,” amassed great wealth by trading salt. Pepper, meanwhile, was once so rare and desirable that it was literally worth its weight in gold and was sometimes used as currency. The desire for salt and pepper, along with other spices, was so high that it helped drive European global exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Aluminum

Aluminum is the most abundant metal found in the Earth’s crust. Today, it is inexpensive and ubiquitous, used in everything from soda cans to aircraft. But before the development of aluminum electrolysis in the late 19th century, it was extremely difficult to extract and refine, making it more precious than gold and silver. In the 1860s, aluminum was so rare that Napoleon III reserved a set of aluminum cutlery for his most honored guests, while those of lesser status had to make do with utensils made of gold. And in 1884, the United States capped the Washington Monument with a 6-pound pyramid of aluminum as a display of its industrial prowess.

Sugar

There’s arguably too much sugar floating around in our modern world, and its overconsumption is the cause of many health issues. But back in medieval Europe, sugar was considered a fine spice and was often kept under lock and key along with other precious items. In Britain around 1300, 1 kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of sugar cost around £350, equal to roughly $457 today. Four centuries later, sugar was still considered a luxury item. By 1750, there were 120 sugar refineries operating in Britain, but their combined output was only 30,000 tons per year, ensuring that vast profits were to be made by those in control of sugar production. It wasn’t until the 19th century, with the cultivation of sugar beets and the industrialization of production, that sugar became widely available and affordable to the general population.

Credit: UniversalImagesGroup via Getty Images

Ice

Before the invention of artificial refrigeration, ice was a luxury item, particularly in warm climates. From the days of ancient Rome until the late 1800s, ice was harvested from mountains or frozen lakes and rivers and stored in covered pits or purpose-built storage rooms for use in the summer, as a means of keeping food cool or simply for putting in drinks. By the 19th century, ice harvesting had become a major industry. The most notable figure in this burgeoning trade was Frederic Tudor, an American merchant known as the “Ice King.” He made a fortune shipping ice from New England to the Caribbean, South America, Europe, and even as far as India. However, the ice trade eventually collapsed in the early 20th century with the advent of artificial refrigeration and ice-making machines, which made ice a common household item.

Tea

Tea, now the world’s most consumed beverage after water, was once a luxury item in the Western world. Originating in China, where it had been enjoyed for thousands of years, it began to be imported into Europe in the early 1600s. By the 1660s, it reached Britain, where it became a highly fashionable luxury good consumed by those who could afford it. Tea was initially so expensive in Europe that it was kept in locked chests known as tea caddies. The tea trade eventually became a significant factor in global economics and politics. The British East India Company’s monopoly on tea imports to Britain led to widespread smuggling and ultimately played a role in the American Revolution — most memorably in the Boston Tea Party. The British obsession with tea also led to a growing trade imbalance with China (then the primary producer of tea), which eventually sparked open conflict between the two nations. By the end of the 18th century, with taxes on tea greatly reduced and plantations established in India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), tea had become more affordable and widely consumed.

Chocolate

Chocolate, now available in countless forms and at varying price points, was once a luxury reserved for the wealthy. We can thank the Maya and Aztecs, both of whom saw it as a gift from the gods and valued cacao beans as highly as any other product. When Europeans encountered chocolate in the Americas, they wasted little time introducing it to Europe. By the end of the 16th century, it had become the drink of the European aristocracies, enjoyed only by the nobility and wealthy merchants. Then, in 1828, the cocoa press was invented, revolutionizing chocolate production and making it available to the masses.

Credit: brandstaetter images/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Pineapples

In 1493, Christopher Columbus had his first encounter with a pineapple on the island of Guadeloupe in the West Indies. Like explorers who came after him, he was mightily impressed by the strange, sweet fruit. By the 17th and 18th centuries, pineapples had become an exotic luxury in Europe and North America, available to only the wealthiest consumers. In the American colonies in the 1700s, a single pineapple imported from the Caribbean islands could cost as much as $8,000 in today’s money. And in mid-17th-century Britain, an affluent aristocrat could expect to spend £60 for one pineapple — equivalent to about $14,400 today. Pineapples were such a symbol of wealth and status in Britain that they became a common motif in architecture and design — they can still be seen adorning the rooftops, railings, and doors of many prestigious buildings in London. It wasn’t until the development of steamships and the canning industry in the 19th century that most of the public could even think of tasting a pineapple.

Why Are Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Kentucky Called Commonwealths?

Map of Virginia

Author Nicole Villeneuve

November 7, 2024

Love it?278

The United States is made up of 50 states, yet four of them — Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Kentucky — are officially referred to as commonwealths. Their names are technically styled as the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, etc. The term “commonwealth” is frequently associated with Great Britain, and its ongoing alignment with many countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. But in the U.S., which was also once under British rule, the term has a somewhat different meaning.

A commonwealth is defined as a political entity founded for the good of the people. The word dates back to the mid-15th century and was given weight by political philosophers such as John Locke and Thomas Hobbes throughout the 17th century. The term was also popularized during this period due to the execution of England’s King Charles I in 1649. After the king’s death, the country was declared a republic, and was known as the Commonwealth of England until the monarchy was restored in 1660.

This concept of a state existing for the benefit of its citizens — not for any one individual, such as a monarch — is the idea behind the use of the word in the United States. Its use dates back to colonial times and the revolutionary ideals of governance and political rhetoric that were paramount to the cause of American independence.

What Did Oranges Used To Look Like? (They Weren’t Always Orange)

Still life of oranges, 1863

Author Tony Dunnell

November 7, 2024

Love it?127

When we think of oranges today, we picture an almost perfectly round fruit with a sweet, citric, juicy interior that is, as the name suggests, orange in color. It’s a common fruit around the world; in the U.S., oranges consistently rank as the third-most-consumed fresh fruit behind bananas and apples — and it ranks No. 1 among juices.

But oranges weren’t always as popular or as common as they are today — and they didn’t even look the same. The oranges we’re familiar with are the result of thousands of years of cultivation and selective breeding. Here, we peel back the layers of history to discover what oranges used to look like and how they evolved into the fruit we enjoy today.

The Origins of Oranges

Oranges, and all other citrus fruits, can trace their roots to the southeast foothills of the Himalayas. According to DNA evidence, the first citrus trees appeared in this region about 8 million years ago; from there, they spread across the Indian subcontinent and then to south-central China. These ancient citrus fruits, however, were nothing like the oranges we know today. They were smaller, often bitter, and came in a variety of shapes and colors, from knobby, yellow fruits akin to the modern citron to large, green, smooth-skinned citruses similar to the modern pomelo.

All the oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits we eat today are descendants of just a handful of ancient species, namely citrons, pomelos, and mandarins, all native to South Asia and East Asia. The sweet orange we know today, which accounts for about 70% of global orange production, is a cultivated hybrid of the ancient pomelo — a large, pale green or yellow fruit with a thick rind — and ancient mandarins, which were then only a little larger than olives. That original hybrid, however, would have been quite different from the oranges we have today.

Cultivation and Selective Breeding

Modern oranges are the result of extensive selective breeding over thousands of years. Early oranges would certainly not have had the uniformity of our modern varieties, and they were likely smaller, with looser, bumpier skin. In terms of taste, they could have been bitter or sweet or anywhere in between — the first known reference to what are now called sweet oranges comes from Chinese literature from around 314 BCE.

As for the color, not all early oranges were orange, with shades of the fruit ranging from pale yellow to green. In fact, even today, many oranges remain green when ripe, particularly in warmer parts of the world, since the color of an orange is related to temperature and environment, not ripeness. Oranges turn orange due to exposure to cold, and some oranges grown in warmer climes are picked green and treated with ethylene gas to make them more orange, a process known as degreening.

Orange Oranges

By the 11th century, oranges were being grown in Southern Europe, though they had a bitter flavor and were used primarily for medicinal purposes. Sweet oranges, similar to what we typically consume today, did not appear in Europe until the 16th century. These soon caught on, beginning a period of breeding programs and intensive cultivation that began to shape the orange into a fruit more closely resembling the common modern variety.

At this point, oranges wouldn’t necessarily have been as large, as uniformly sized, or as vibrantly orange as we are used to, but they would have been very much recognizable to us. Evidence for this is amply supplied in paintings by various artists from the 16th century onward — for example, Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s “Winter” (part of the “Four Seasons” set, 1563); Willem Kalf’s “Wineglass and a Bowl of Fruit” (1663); Luis Melendez’s “Still Life with Lemons and Oranges” (circa 1760); and Vincent Van Gogh’s “Still Life with Basket and Six Oranges” (1888).

As for the word “orange,” it referred to a fruit first and a color later. The word comes from the Old French word for the citrus fruit, pomme d’orenge, which in turn is thought to have come from the Sanskrit word nāranga via the Persian and Arabic languages (hence the Spanish word for orange, naranja). The use of orange as the specific description for a color started to appear in English in the 1500s — many centuries after humans started eating actual oranges.

What $20 Could Buy You Through History

$20 bill

Author Nicole Villeneuve

October 31, 2024

Love it?122

Imagine walking into a grocery store with $20 in your pocket. What can you buy? Today, you might be able to grab some pasta and vegetables for the night’s dinner and have leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch, if you’re lucky. The purchasing power of a dollar has changed dramatically from the early days of American history, largely due to the ever-increasing prices of the things we spend money on — that pesky reality we call inflation. Twenty bucks might not put much in your grocery bag now, but in the mid-20th century, it could easily stock your pantry — or even cover a visit to the doctor. Here’s what $20 could comfortably buy you at different times in U.S. history.

Credit: Fotosearch/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

Colonial Era

The colonial American economy primarily used a mix of British currency (pounds, shillings, and pence), Spanish dollars, and various forms of local currency. There was no unified economic system; the value of money and exchange rates varied among colonies, and historians admit it’s a challenge to draw direct comparisons to modern prices. Using various online converters, we can loosely estimate $20 to be equivalent to about 100 shillings at the time. In the 1730s, 20 shillings could buy 50 acres of land in Maryland or about 3 pounds of beef in New England. In 1777, the same amount would outfit a man in a full suit of broadcloth in Rhode Island.

Of course, while it’s fun to speculate, it’s nearly impossible to determine with any certainty how much $20 was worth in colonial America, as there was no standard national currency until the U.S. won independence at the end of the Revolutionary War.

1870s

In 1785, the dollar was established as the official unit of currency of the newly formed United States, and the first coins were printed in 1794 when the Coinage Act established the U.S. Mint. (The first paper money came later, in 1861.) While the young country grappled with economic uniformity for decades, the U.S. dollar was well ingrained by the mid-19th century.

By 1870, $20 could cover an entire month’s rent for a Lower East Side tenement apartment in New York City. Though the conditions in tenement buildings were often overcrowded, unsanitary, and unsafe, many working-class families and new immigrants called them home. Today, after centuries of both inflation and gentrification, the average rent in the same Manhattan neighborhood hovers around $5,000 a month. That $20 rent might sound like a great deal in comparison, but most laborers only earned about $50 a month — meaning 40% of their income often went to housing. Professionals such as doctors or lawyers were, of course, much better off, taking home a few hundred dollars a month.

In rural areas, $20 was also sufficient means to buy a milking cow, providing a steady supply of milk, cheese, and butter for a household. A decent selection of clothing was also within reach with $20 to your name. Newspaper advertisements from San Francisco touted formal wear such as silk suits for $12.50, heavy woolen coats (known as ulsters) for $5, and twilled silk umbrellas for $1.50 each. Altogether, that was $19 worth of clothing. Today, $20 might only buy you a couple cups of coffee if you're living and working in a city; in rural areas, it might fuel a week’s worth of caffeine. Or if you’re shopping for clothes on a budget, 20 bucks could probably snag you a pair of jeans on sale.

Credit: Schenectady Museum Association/ Corbis Historical via Getty Images

1920s

In the economic boom of the Roaring ’20s, consumer goods became increasingly accessible to everyday Americans. For the men and women who dressed up to go out and dance the Charleston, $20 could easily cover a stylish suit, coat, or dress for the occasion. The popularity of household appliances was also on the rise. Electric stoves didn’t outnumber gas ranges for another decade or so, but a smaller electric oven for the kitchen countertop cost around $10, putting home innovation and upgrades within reach for some Americans. The average U.S. income averaged between $3,000 and $5,000 a year throughout the decade, so to many, $10 here or $20 there wasn't just pocket change; it represented a decent chunk of their monthly income of just a few hundred dollars.

In the 1920s, the popularity of cars exploded in the U.S., but $20 wasn’t near enough to buy a popular Ford Model T — that would run you a whopping $260. If you did have a car, though, $20 could fill the 10-gallon gas tank about 10 times over, making a road trip on America’s rapidly improving roadways a must.

Credit: Harold M. Lambert/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

1950s

The average U.S. household income in 1950 was about $3,300, and $20 still had decent purchasing power for necessities and beyond. It was, for instance, possible to plan a full holiday meal for your family with much less than $20. In fact, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, it cost just under $7 for a meal that included a 16-pound turkey, potatoes, stuffing, dinner rolls, cranberries, and pumpkin pie throughout the entirety of the 1950s. At that price, families could add some extra vegetables such as carrots, and maybe even a nice bottle of wine or champagne.

As another example, $20 could buy 400 cans of Coca-Cola. Excessive, no doubt, but by the end of the 1950s, the U.S. indeed loved its canned sodas, and since Coke was still priced at just 5 cents a pop, just about anyone could enjoy one now and then. The cost of medical care was much lower in the 1950s as well — $20 could cover three or four checkups with your doctor, at about $5 to $6 a visit, or even a trip to the operating room for minor procedures.

Credit: Michael Putland/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

1980s

Music lovers today know that many live shows are a luxury expense or even out of reach — an average concert ticket costs well over $100. But in 1980, $20 could snag you two tickets to see some of the top acts of the day, including Peter Gabriel, Bob Seger, or the Grateful Dead. Today, meanwhile, it might be able to get you a drink at big arena shows.

For kids (or collectors), brand-new Transformers toys at the peak of their popularity in the ’80s were typically priced at about $10; for a more deluxe figure, $20 was the norm. And while $20 doesn’t go very far in the fast-food realm today, in the 1980s, it bought a lot: A McDonald’s value meal deal cost a mere $2.59, meaning $20 could feed a family of seven — or a family of five with money left over for ice cream afterward.

When Did People Start Using Money?

Examining ancient coins

Author Timothy Ott

October 31, 2024

Love it?40

It’s been said that money makes the world go round. It’s also been said that money is the root of all evil. Whichever theory you subscribe to, both of these contrasting views highlight the ubiquity of currency in modern society.

We often take for granted the process of shelling out cash for food at the grocery store, setting aside regular amounts for the mortgage or rent, or spending a few extra bucks on a new shirt or shoes. These are the hallmarks of modern living — but they haven’t always been.

Humans have been around for about 300,000 years, began banding together in settlements some 12,000 years ago, and set the foundations of major civilizations 5,500 years ago. So when did the all-encompassing presence of money enter the equation?

Credit: Shutterstock AI Generator/ Shutterstock

Bartering and Neolithic Cattle

Historians agree that before there was money, there was bartering — the exchange of one form of goods or services for another in a way that satisfied both parties. This process dates back thousands of years, to at least the Upper Paleolithic period (roughly 50,000 to 10,000 years ago). But experts differ as to the next steps in the economic timeline, depending on their specialty. Some economists have argued, based on the writings of Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations, that money developed from the bartering system. However, scholars in the fields of anthropology and archaeology are more likely to contend that money was created by governments as a means of exerting control. Part of the uncertainty, of course, comes from the difficulty of tracing the development of a system across different parts of the world with a lack of definitive recorded evidence.

However it was introduced, ancient money generally fulfilled a few major guidelines: It served as a unit of exchange, represented a measure of value, enabled the payment of debts, and could be accumulated as a wealth reserve. Prior to the existence of metallic coins and (far later) paper cash, this meant the use of a wide array of items that fulfilled some combination of practical and ornamental function.

The oldest form of money may well be the use of cattle dating back to the Neolithic era — while far less portable than modern forms of money, it fit the other requirements of providing a standard measure of value and being easily counted. Other nonmetallic forms of currency from various cultures through the centuries include amber, beads, cocoa beans, ivory, leather, quartz, rice, salt, and whale teeth.

Silver and the Shekel in Mesopotamia

The rise of civilizations in Mesopotamia around 3500 BCE sparked a transformation in the scale of economic activity — along with fostering extensive trading networks, the period saw an increase of wealth among its most prosperous citizens and the first recorded existence of banks.

While many people used grain as a form of money, the better-off flaunted their wares in silver, and with silver came the first weight-based form of currency, the shekel. Weighing approximately one-third of an ounce, the shekel helped determine a silver-based standard of value for goods, taxes, and penalties. The wealthier citizenry also found willing takers for their gold, while most people exchanged more common metals such as copper, tin, or lead.

The popularity of metal currency served to narrow the scope of what was accepted for payment in this part of the world, and paved the way for the emergence of coins. However, the silver shekels didn’t quite meet the standard of modern money, as they lacked an official guarantee of value.

Credit: UniversalImagesGroup/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Cowrie Shells and Early Coins in China

Independent of developments on the shores of the Mediterranean, standard forms of money began surfacing in China. As far back as the Shang dynasty, which spanned roughly the 17th to 11th centuries BCE, this entailed the use of cowrie shells (small oval-shaped shells) from the Pacific and Indian oceans.

Sometime after the start of China’s Spring and Autumn period in the eighth century BCE, bronze and copper pieces began appearing in regular circulation. At first, these early coins were also fashioned in the likeness of the popular cowrie shells. Soon, they began taking the forms of other common objects, including knives, spades, and musical instruments.

Regardless of their shape, all of these coins were embedded with holes for ease of being strung together, as their composition of base metals resulted in low-value density and the need for many pieces to purchase objects of greater worth.

The Modern Coin Emerges in Lydia

What is traditionally considered the final step in the emergence of modern money took place in the kingdom of Lydia, located in modern-day Turkey. There, in the seventh century BCE, the kingdom began fashioning coins from electrum, a naturally occurring gold and silver alloy.

Initially formed into irregular bean-shaped chunks, the electrum currency soon began to take on a rounded shape with standardized weights and inscriptions such as a lion and bull facing one another — an official stamp of authenticity. By the mid-sixth century BCE, the prosperous King Croesus had separated the metals into gold and silver pieces to develop the first bimetallic currency.

By that point, the use of state-issued coins was spreading to Ionia and other Greek city-states, while also becoming more prominent in China and India. Although traditional currencies such as shells and beads continued to hold sway in other regions, in many cases working in tandem with the tried-and-true method of bartering, modern money was up and running and ready to make the world go round.

The Evolution of Hemlines Through History

Pleated skirts circa 1966

Author Nicole Villeneuve

October 30, 2024

Love it?53

Worn by both men and women in early civilizations such as Egypt and Rome, skirts and dresses gradually transformed into quintessential symbols of femininity in the Western world. For centuries, these garments reached the floor as a mark of modesty, but practicality and changing tastes occasionally nudged hemlines higher, such as with the “walking dress” and its ankle-skimming hem, which emerged by the mid-1800s. By the late 19th century, it wasn’t unheard of to see a skirt hit midcalf, a look that forecasted the more dramatic shifts that started in the early 1900s.

While we tend to think of the evolution of hemlines as a simple upward trajectory, getting shorter as society evolved and fashion became more daring, their history is much more nuanced. Hemlines have risen and fallen several times in the last 100 years. And though the popular “hemline index” theory suggests that skirt lengths rise in times of economic prosperity and fall during downturns, that’s an oversimplification of the story. Far from a one-way trend, hemlines have been a dynamic reflection of fashion, function, and symbolism through the years. Here are a few of the most significant changes in the 20th century.

Credit: Kirn Vintage Stock/ Corbis Historical via Getty Images

1920s: The Flapper Era

The 1920s marked the first major departure from traditional floor-length skirts. Following World War I, the Roaring ’20s brought economic stability to the U.S. — and a newfound sense of empowerment and liberation for women, who had won the right to vote in 1920. Women enjoyed vibrant social lives even in the depths of Prohibition, frequenting speakeasies and private clubs and dancing the night away. It was a time when the restrictive clothing of the past just would not do; hemlines shot up, at first to just below the knee, and by the mid-1920s, even creeping above. The new dress style also did away with the tightly corseted fashions of earlier decades, ushering in a less-structured “Garçonne” look (an androgynous or “tomboy” style) that was free of curves and had dropped waists, loose fits, and a straighter silhouette.

1940s: The “New Look”

Between 1930 and the end of World War II, hemline trends resembled a rollercoaster. After the shorter hems of the 1920s, most dress and skirt lengths plummeted back down to midcalf or the ankle during the Great Depression in the 1930s. They stayed that way until the onset of World War II, when fashion, like much of the rest of life, became dictated by rations and utility. Hemlines raised up to knee length; this look, seen on the A-line skirts worn by women in the military, not only preserved fabric, but also was practical for movement and comfort on the job, a necessity given that more women than ever were joining the workforce.

After the war, another dramatic hemline reversal happened. The introduction of designer Christian Dior’s “New Look” in 1947 brought back the long, voluminous skirts of an earlier era, with hemlines falling back to midcalf or even to the ankle. The luxurious look may have been a rejection of wartime austerity, but many also saw it as a step back toward traditional gender roles. The longer hemlines, as well as the New Look’s signature hourglass silhouette, stood in stark contrast to the more utilitarian styles of the war years. A backlash ensued, with protests happening in the U.S. and abroad. “Mr. Dior, we abhor dresses to the floor,” a sign at one American demonstration read. It wasn’t long before these progressive protesters were wearing their shortest skirts yet.

Credit: Chris Ware/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

1960s: Miniskirt Revolution

After the conservative styles of the 1950s, the rebellious spirit of the ’60s ushered in radical shifts in fashion, including one of the most dramatic hemline changes in history: For the first time in American fashion, skirts rose to several inches above the knee. Miniskirts were worn by style icons such as the model Twiggy and embraced by the youth culture, which was booming like never before. In 1960, almost half the population of the U.S. was under the age of 18, while in the U.K., the burgeoning “Swinging London” scene emphasized everything youthful and modern. By the middle of the ’60s, the miniskirt was the quintessential wardrobe item for young women — both a novel trend and a powerful cultural symbol of liberation and defiance. While British designer Mary Quant is often given credit for the style — and she indeed popularized it — she always credited the youthful London street style of the time, insisting, “It was the girls in the street who did it.”

Credit: Manchester Daily Express/ SSPL via Getty Images

1970s: Maxi Skirt Revival

What goes up must come down again, and as the miniskirt’s dominance of ’60s fashion fizzled, an opposing trend also driven by the surging youth culture began to emerge. More and more young people began to vocalize their rejection of mainstream societal establishments and instead embraced the ideals of peace and love. They were known as hippies, and their wardrobe of choice — in addition to the burgeoning bell-bottom pants that became synonymous with the ’70s — included flowing, long-sleeved maxi dresses and skirts. Hemlines were once again at the ground, but this time it wasn’t an embodiment of buttoned-up conservatism; the maxi length reflected a laid-back, bohemian style that characterized the era. The midi skirt also attempted a comeback in the 1970s, but didn’t quite catch on — at least, not yet.

Credit: Tim Graham/ Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

1980s: Power Dressing and Princess Di

In the 1980s, hemlines fluctuated once again — this time, trending back upward. The maxi hem of the ’70s was out, and the midi length came back as part of the broader “power dressing” phenomenon. The look — sleek, suit-inspired, and with a midcalf hem — was largely influenced by Princess Diana; the young royal captivated the public with her singular style throughout the ’80s and ’90s. More women were also entering the corporate world, and the fashion reflected growing female professionalism and authority. As the decade pressed on, hemlines crept up further still. Miniskirts also reappeared in the ’80s, often in patchy acid-washed denim or the colorful, ruffled, flouncy “rah-rah” style.

Other popular looks have come and gone since then — the midi asymmetrical handkerchief hem of the early 2000s, for one — but the rise of fast fashion, individualism over collective style, and the increasingly rapid turnover of trends mean the ’80s may well have marked the end of a single hemline trend defining an entire decade.

Was Paul Bunyan Real?

Author Timothy Ott

The Possible Real-Life Inspiration for Bunyan

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

The Story’s Logging Camp Origins

The Legend Spreads and Expands

These Retro Toys Are the Perfect Unique Gifts for All Ages

Author Kristina Wright

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

We Cooked the World’s Oldest Written Recipes

Author Bennett Kleinman

Lamb and Beet Stew

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

“Unwinding” (Barley Broth)

The Result

6 Photos That Define the 1950s

Author Tony Dunnell

Einstein Sticking Out His Tongue (1951)

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

Moviegoers in 3D Glasses (1952)

“Camelot” (1953)

Tenzing Norgay on the Summit of Mount Everest (1953)

Marilyn Monroe in a White Dress (1954)

Elizabeth Eckford and “The Scream” (1957)

7 Common Items That Used To Be Extremely Valuable

Author Tony Dunnell

Salt and Pepper

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

Aluminum

Sugar

Ice

Tea

Chocolate

Pineapples

Why Are Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Kentucky Called Commonwealths?

Author Nicole Villeneuve

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

What Did Oranges Used To Look Like? (They Weren’t Always Orange)

Author Tony Dunnell

The Origins of Oranges

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz