Holy Cow History
86 results total, viewing 26 - 50

HOLY COW! HISTORY: When King George came toppling down

The removal of statues of historical figures across the country in recent years has prompted national reexamination. Many communities are looking at their own monuments and wondering whether they … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: April 3, 1882: Jesse James was just the 1st to fall

It was an unusually warm morning on that Monday, especially for early spring. The man who rented the little wooden-frame house at 1318 Lafayette St. had just finished breakfast when he noticed that a … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: The giggling granny

Criminals come in all shapes and varieties, and they prompt many reactions. Some infuriate you. Some leave you perplexed. Some evoke pathos and tragedy. And some are just plain creepy. They all … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: Martha’s big secret

Dwight Eisenhower had reached his decision. And when Ike put his foot down, that was the end of things. After all, as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, personally responsible for planning the … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: The woman who gave the world Barbie

Sometimes, it’s the popular girls who get picked on the most. Just ask a certain blonde. (Or brunette.) Because she’s heard it all over the years. “She’s unrealistically beautiful!” … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: The queen who saved Britain’s monarchy

It’s been a rocky road for Britain’s House of Windsor of late. Ever since the end of World War II, it has wobbled dangerously close to the cliff's edge of abolition, only to catch a breather and … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: The man who married peanut butter and chocolate

  There’s trouble in Candy Land these days. At least in one corner of it. A nasty spat is brewing between confectionery behemoth Hershey and the grandson of the man who created its … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: 1936’s big chill

Temperatures plunge. Ice everywhere. Transportation frozen in its tracks. An Arctic Armageddon. Winter 2026, right? Think again. The six is correct, but the other three digits are off. Because … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: A reporter’s big goof

We hear a lot these days about “fake news.” Don’t worry—we’re not going to wade into the partisan divide over which news is, and which isn’t, “fake.” The problem isn’t new. One … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: The outlaw’s son’s bum rap

The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree, they say. More than a century ago, investigators desperately hoped that it would prove true in a big criminal case. But as we’re about to discover, … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: White Coke for a Red General

Put yourself in his position. You’ve just led a 6.5-million-man army across half a continent, ending four years of brutal war that’s left nearly 27 million of your countrymen dead. You’ve just … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: Snowbound in the Sierras

Getting there, they say, is half the fun. One group of travelers would have begged to differ. Because what should have been a brief trip 74 years ago this month turned into a disaster movie-scale … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: A teen’s daring 'date' with the King of Hollywood

A new word was entering America’s vocabulary 90 years ago: teenagers. True, adolescents have been around since the dawn of time. But surprisingly, they weren’t called “teenagers” until … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: How a Jewish man created a Christmas classic

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. And yes, you still recall the most famous reindeer of all. But how did that red-nosed misfit become a principal character in Yuletide … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: A jockey’s wild finish

It started pretty much like any other Monday at Long Island’s Belmont Park outside New York City. The weather was warming up as the annual spring horse racing season was winding down, tempting … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: Sylvan’s crazy shopping contraption

Ready or not, the holiday shopping season is upon us. Though online orders have taken a big bite out of the in-person retail experience recently, stores and shops will still be plenty crowded. … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: The most hated man in Tennessee

Folks in Tennessee disagree about many things. Are you a Vandy fan, or do you root for the Volunteers? Do you vote for Democrats or Republicans? Appalachian Bluegrass or Memphis Blues? But they … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: The boy military hero

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, they say. And as one instance showed, they come in all ages, too. When Japan’s sneak attack at Pearl Harbor plunged the U.S. into World War II, there … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: Hollywood calls the Hereafter

The spookiest time of the year was upon us once more last week. Our attention turned to jack-o-lanterns, black cats and things that go boo in the night. It was also the time when the widow of … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: Unsinkable Sam, the world’s luckiest cat

You’ve heard about the Unsinkable Molly Brown, the brassy, nouveau riche millionaire miner’s wife who made it safely off the sinking Titanic. As incredible as that was, she had nothing on … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: Urban myths and a boy called Beaver

Exactly 68 years ago this month, Americans were introduced to an everyday kid. While TV viewers loved Lucy, the same eventually proved true for plain, impish Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver. … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: How 1 cannon shot changed history

Of all the forgotten tales brought back to life in this column, this one may be the most obscure of all. You’ll have to dig deep into the history books to find it. Though forgotten today, it … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: The deal of a (very long) lifetime

Everyone loves a bargain, a bit of financial good fortune to the buyer’s advantage. When it’s exceptionally good, we call it the deal of a lifetime. Sixty years ago, a lawyer made an … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: When Hitler invaded England… in 1974

History is littered with possibilities. The only thing historians love more than bickering among themselves is speculating about what might have happened if the past had played out differently. … more

HOLY COW! HISTORY: It was a lunch money miracle

I learned to appreciate old coins at a young age. My father was a serious and avid collector. He taught me early on to always keep an eye on the dates of all coins that passed through my hands. One … more
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