Furniture isn’t just about form and function — it’s a reflection of how we live. As technology evolves and lifestyles shift, pieces that were once considered household essentials can quietly fade into obscurity. From furniture designed around now-outdated technology to those that catered to social customs of another era, many former decor staples have all but disappeared from modern homes. If you’ve ever tried to fit a heavy television into a hulking TV cabinet or spent an hour at t...| History Facts
United States currency is full of symbolic design choices and cryptic markings. First issued in 1861 as a demand note, the $20 bill is one of the most commonly used denominations. Over the years, the $20 bill has undergone numerous facelifts, from changing portraits and seals to the addition of color-shifting ink and security threads. Today’s version packs in more symbols than most people may realize. If you’ve ever wondered what those little letters, numbers, and emblems really mean, her...| History Facts
Although it still exists, the telegraph has been all but forgotten in a world dominated by instant digital messaging, relegated to the archives of 20th-century institutions alongside the corner phone booth and the horse and buggy. Yet there was a time when this form of communication was the best and most efficient way to deliver a message across significant distances. Western Union, the largest provider of the service, logged more than 200 million telegrams sent in its peak year of 1929. Give...| History Facts
War is full of logistical challenges, one of the major concerns — in conflicts both ancient and modern — being how to feed the armies doing the fighting. Whether it’s Roman legionaries, British Redcoats, or modern infantry, soldiers have always needed a reliable supply of food to maintain both their energy levels and morale. As the old saying goes, “An army marches on its stomach.” Military rations have existed since at least the time of ancient Rome, when soldiers received 2 poun...| History Facts
It’s perhaps the most famous document in American history — the collection of fighting words that formally severed ties with the British Empire and launched a precocious new nation into existence. But while some of its features are familiar to the public, including a few phrases from the preamble and the conspicuous signature of John Hancock, many details surrounding the Declaration of Independence are little known beyond historians of the subject. Not unlike the esteemed local monument...| History Facts
Covered bridges are an idyllic symbol of rural America. These charming, often hand-built structures have been romanticized in popular culture for years, from Thomas Kinkade’s painting “The Old Covered Bridge” to the novel (and film adaptation) The Bridges of Madison County. Despite their dispensability in the age of concrete and steel, these old wooden bridges continue to be beloved landmarks, their distinct roofs making them easily recognizable even today. But what exactly led to their...| History Facts
Middle names are a strange concept. They often lie silent and unused, only to emerge when we fill out official forms and documents, providing an extra piece of proof as to who we are, despite our near-total disregard for the name in our daily lives. In the U.S., a majority of people have a middle name, but only around 4% of people are referred to by it. And, according to a poll by The Atlantic, only about 22% of Americans think they know the middle names of at least half of their friends or a...| History Facts
The invention of the bathing suit as a tasteful, stylish outfit specifically for water-based leisure may go as far back as ancient Rome.| History Facts
From the rigging of the World Series to Willie Mays’ unforgettable catch, here are seven major moments in the history of baseball.| History Facts
The complicated legacies of these masters extend well beyond the canvas.| History Facts