History
Full DNC PoliticalFest Schedule Announced: What to Do and Where
Last month we told you about PoliticalFest, the festival celebrating U.S. history, government and politics, which will run July 22nd-27th as part of the Democratic National […]
10 Things You Might Not Know About Philly’s June 1919 Anarchist Bombings
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling blocking President Obama‘s executive actions on immigration. A terrible hate crime against a club full of mostly Latino gays in Orlando. Foreigners blamed […]
11 Things You Might Not Know About Betsy Ross
Today is Flag Day, commemorating the date in 1777 on which the Continental Congress passed a resolution that read: “Resolved. That the flag of the […]
12 Things You Might Not Know About the Constitutional Convention
On May 25th, 1787, what came to be known as the Constitutional Convention convened at the State House in Philly. Originally called merely to tweak […]
Jackie Robinson’s First Contracts Will Be on Display in Philly
“For the performance of the Player’s services and promises hereunder the Club will pay the Player the sum of FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000.00) for the […]
A History of Violence: Philadelphia Political Brawls
The first thing I do when I wake up, before I fully open my eyes, is indulge a ritual that goes back to my cable-less […]
10 Things You Might Not Know About the 1876 Centennial Exhibition
Today marks the 140th anniversary of the opening of the 1876 Centennial Exposition, which brought nearly 10 million visitors — almost a fifth of the […]
Seven Theories You Might Not Know About Where the Word “Hoagie” Comes From
We were really hoping we’d be able to trace a Native American origin for the word “hoagie” in celebration of National Hoagie Day today, but we […]
12 Things You Might Not Know About John James Audubon
John James Audubon, the world’s most celebrated avian artist, made his first American home — and met his long-suffering wife — in what’s now called […]
Harriet Tubman to Be New Face On $20 Bill
After a long debate over who would replace Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill, the United States Treasury has thrown the country a curveball: Hamilton […]
Philly Firm Picked to Renovate the Alamo
Remember the Alamo? The old Texas mission is historic, but the area surrounding it feels less so — overgrown with hotels and office buildings. Now a […]
Drink Like an 18th Century Philadelphian at the Philadelphia History Museum
Have you ever caught yourself sitting in an old tavern thinking about how the wonderful concept of taverns came to be? Well, tomorrow night from 5:30 p.m. […]
11 Things You Might Not Know About Pencils
Happy 158th birthday to the pencil with attached eraser! It was on March 30, 1858, that Hymen L. Lipman received a patent for his remarkable […]
11 Things You Might Not Know About the Founding Fathers’ Dogs
Today is National Puppy Day, which is proof, we guess, that every dog has its day, seeing as every dog in the world was once […]
The 20 All-Time-Best Philly Names
We were thinking the other day about E. Digby Baltzell, the Penn sociology prof who coined the term “Wasp,” for “White Anglo-Saxon Protestant.” It would […]