A Churchgoer In Spain Did “The Worst Art Restoration Project Of All Time” (Cool Weird Awesome 1299)
Thanks to an amateur artist, a fresco of Jesus in a church in northeastern Spain ended up looking quite different. But there was more to the story.
William Walker, The Diver Who Saved Winchester Cathedral (Cool Weird Awesome 1275)
Today in 1912, high honors for William Walker, who saved the UK’s famous Winchester Cathedral from partial collapse through five years of foundation work… all of which he did underwater.
Two Kings Spent Millions To Throw Themselves A Party For Over Two Weeks (Cool Weird Awesome 1254)
Today in 1520 the beginning of what may have been the biggest, most expensive party of all time, involving two kings, 18 days and $19 million.
Some People Are Sweet On Kool-Aid Pickles, But Others Have Soured On The Idea (Cool Weird Awesome 1239)
Today in 2007, the New York Times published a feature story on Kool Aid pickles, a sweet and sour treat that found some diehard fans in the southern US.
Ruth Belville, The Last “Time Carrier” In London (Cool Weird Awesome 1196)
Today in 1854, the birthday of a very important person in the history of how we keep track of time: Ruth Belville, who has been called the “Greenwich Time Lady.”
Mary Toft, The Woman Who Said She Gave Birth To Rabbits (Cruel Weird Awful 6)
Here's a story that brought out the worst in everybody: it's the story of Mary Toft, the so-called Rabbit Queen of 18th Century England who claimed she had given birth to countless numbers of rabbits and other wild creatures.
The Wild History Of The White House Telephone (Cool Weird Awesome 1036)
Today in 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes got a phone installed at the White House. It's been used to make landmark deals, shape the course of world events, and even say hi to astronauts on the moon. And Lyndon Johnson infamously used that phone to talk to a tailor.
The Legend Of Blanche Heriot, Who Saved Her Love’s Life By Keeping A Bell From Ringing (Cool Weird Awesome 1009)
Today in 1455, it's said that the Wars of the Roses began in England. The civil wars over who should be king led to mostly battles but also the legendary story of Blanche Heriot, who found a creative way to keep her love from being executed.
Elizabeth Prettejohn, The Last Person In Hallsands Village (Cool Weird Awesome 467)
On this day in 1917, a massive storm destroyed most of the small village of Hallsands, in southern England. Nearly everyone in town moved away after that, but one resident, Elizabeth Prettejohn, stayed for the rest of her life, until the mid 1960s.