11 11, 2021

After The Civil War, William Oland Bourne And Veterans Organized A “Left-Armed Corps” (Cool Weird Awesome 654)

By |2021-11-11T06:28:47-05:00November 11, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , |

For Veterans Day, we have the story of the "Left-Armed Corps," Civil War veterans who'd lost right arms in battle and were re-learning to write left-handed. Poet and newspaper publisher William Oland Bourne organized penmanship contests to encourage their writing, which he believed would help them find jobs and support themselves and their families as they returned to civilian life. Plus: you can learn about the veterans of World War II through a miniature golf course in Texas. 

5 11, 2021

John Hanson, The Guy Who Was Sort Of President Before George Washington (Cool Weird Awesome 650)

By |2023-09-25T09:47:58-04:00November 5, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , |

Today in 1781, the first U.S. president, John Hanson, was elected. Of course, being a U.S. president in 1781 was very different from the job George Washington, the first president under the U.S. Constitution, would hold eight years later. Plus: the University of British Columbia has a robot named Robby to paint all the lines on its sports fields. 

1 11, 2021

Fort Blunder, The Military Installation Built In The Wrong Country (Cool Weird Awesome 646)

By |2021-11-01T11:27:46-04:00November 1, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , |

Today in 1816, the US military awarded to built a contract for a fort next to Lake Champlain, near the border with Canada. For years crews worked to make the fort strong, until one day when they realized there was a big problem. Plus: people on Tumblr say today is the 1000th birthday of a medieval monk's brother named Werner. 

28 10, 2021

The Statue Of Liberty Sat In Pieces Until A Crowdfunding Campaign Got The Job Done (Cool Weird Awesome 644)

By |2021-10-28T07:49:53-04:00October 28, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Today in 1886, the U.S. dedicated the Statue of Liberty in New York. It was hard times when Lady Liberty first arrived in the country, but eventually a 19th century-style crowdfunding efforts raised enough money to raise the statue onto a pedestal. Plus: the statue came from France, and if you head to Paris you'll see that city has a Lady Liberty too! 

15 10, 2021

Grace Bedell, The Girl Who Got Abe Lincoln To Grow A Beard (Cool Weird Awesome 635)

By |2021-10-15T08:51:51-04:00October 15, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Today in 1860, an 11 year old wrote to not-yet-president Abraham Lincoln, suggesting he grow some whiskers because "your face is so thin." Later, a bearded Abe visited the letter writer, Grace Bedell of Westfield, New York, and showed off his new look. Plus: today in 1957, an unusual demonstration in Port Washington, Wisconsin: the “Power Mower of the Future”!

27 05, 2021

Norton I Of San Francisco Declared Himself Emperor Of The United States (Cool Weird Awesome 545)

By |2021-05-27T09:22:52-04:00May 27, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

On the anniversary of the opening of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, here's the story of another one of the city's icons: Norton I, a man who proclaimed himself emperor of the United States and people went along with it. Plus: a Chinese millionaire has bought a soccer team and has added himself to the roster, and people are going along with it. 

29 03, 2021

Henry Brown Escaped From Slavery By Mailing Himself To Philadelphia (Cool Weird Awesome 507)

By |2021-03-29T08:13:24-04:00March 29, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

On this day in 1849, Henry Brown escaped slavery from a Virginia plantation in a very unusual way: he arranged it so he could hide in a small wooden box that was sent to Pennsylvania. Here's some of his story. Plus: it was on this day in 2011 that a paramedic rescued a doctor from a fiery car crash, 30 years after that same doctor had helped the paramedic survive as a newborn.

26 03, 2021

A “Mammoth Loaf” Once Turned The U.S. Senate Chamber Into A Big Bread Box

By |2021-03-26T10:38:07-04:00March 26, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Today in 1804, the US Senate held a party featuring something called the “Mammoth Loaf.” To explain, we have to first tell you about Thomas Jefferson, an enormous block of cheese and an archeology project. Plus: a very cold town in Siberia has some very cool music, thanks to spring ice drums.

15 03, 2021

“Stagecoach” Mary Fields, Montana’s One-Of-A-Kind Mail Carrier (Cool Weird Awesome 496)

By |2021-03-15T08:45:15-04:00March 15, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , |

Mary Fields was the first Black woman to receive a Post Office contract to deliver the mail, and in the Wild West, no less. Here's a little more about a pioneer who definitely made some history. Plus: the story of a sibling who found a practical use for her identical twin.

20 01, 2021

Martin Van Buren May Have Had The Cheesiest First Day Of Any U.S. President (Cool Weird Awesome 463)

By |2021-01-20T08:28:28-05:00January 20, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Some presidential inauguration days are memorable; others are quiet. But the one for Martin Van Buren was probably cheesy, thanks to a giant cheddar sent to Andrew Jackson and a public party to eat it just before Van Buren moved into the White House. (Appropriately enough, today is also National Cheese Lover's Day.)

Go to Top