Historical Anniversary at Pullman National Historical Park This weekend’s Pullman Railroad Days event marks the 100th anniversary of a pivotal decision that dramatically increased ridership for the South Shore Line. The celebration, held at Pullman National Historical Park in Chicago, commemorates the electrification of Illinois Central trains, a crucial development that occurred last Tuesday. This...
Union Oil Co. Refinery Explosion, 1984 On July 23, 1984, a disaster struck the Union Oil Co. refinery in Romeoville. Seventeen people lost their lives due to an explosion caused by a vapor leak. The leak occurred in a tower processing crude oil into gasoline. The explosion destroyed the top 45 feet of the vessel,...
After 246 years, Pvt. John Pumphrey is unknown no more. Through DNA testing and traditional sleuthing, a Maryland teenager who perished in one of the last battles of the American Revolution can now be recognized in history. This revelation comes as the nation he fought for nears its 250th birthday. “There was a sense of...
Conspiracy theories might appear as a contemporary issue, yet they have been interwoven into America’s history since its inception. On Judy Woodruff’s podcast, “In Pursuit of Happiness,” journalist and author Jesse Walker discusses how conspiracy thinking influenced the American Revolution. Walker’s insights reveal that such theories were not only prevalent but also shaped significant actions...
The Beginnings of Vigilante Justice Ray Broshears, a gay preacher based in San Francisco, initiated a street vigilante group in 1973 aiming to safeguard the LGBTQ+ community in the Tenderloin neighborhood. He openly expressed his intent to intimidate those who were targeting them, stating he wanted to scare “all those young punks who have been...
Mike Wallace’s Legacy Mike Wallace, known for his radical approach to history, co-authored the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Gotham.” This extensive work, created with Edwin G. Burrows, delves into New York City’s history up to 1898, focusing on social and economic conflicts. They skillfully merged numerous narratives into a single, engaging account. A Passionate Historian Born...
Prologue On September 30, 1941, Thomas Jefferson’s great-great-grandson joined six other men at a Washington art gallery. Their purpose was to select quotes from Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, to be engraved in the memorial being constructed at the Tidal Basin. The meeting of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commission inevitably turned to...
General George Washington’s surprise victory in the Battle of Trenton in December 1776 was a turning point that led to America’s independence. Historians speculate on how the world might look if the colonies had lost the war. Without independence in 1776, many aspects of modern life could have evolved differently. The Potential for Future Independence...
On July 6, 1776, John Hancock, then president of the Continental Congress, sent a letter to General George Washington who was stationed with his army in New York. The letter included the new Declaration of Independence. Hancock noted that the Congress had been engaged with one of the most significant issues they could address. He...
The tension between preserving historical sites and modern development is evident in Germany. A recent decision to develop the site of the New Reich Chancellery’s bunker in Berlin highlights this clash. In 1939, Adolf Hitler inaugurated the New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, referring to it as the “first structure of the new Great Germany.” During...