Tag: statues

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Rip The Dog Helped Rescue Londoners From Bomb Damaged Buildings During The Blitz

It's National Dog Day, so let’s talk about a dog who definitely found a way to carry on during World War II: Rip the dog, who rescued Londoners from rubble after Nazi bombing raids.

The US Almost Put A “Mammy Memorial” In The Middle Of Washington DC

The US Senate once voted to move forward on a plan to put a giant statue celebrating slavery in the middle of Washington DC.

The Only Guy Who Ever Broke Into The Bank Of England’s Vault Of Gold

Thanks to loads of security measures, no one has ever robbed the Bank of England. But if you ask whether anyone’s broken into the bank's famous gold vaults, the answer is a little more complicated.

How Wichita Falls, Texas Became Home To “The World’s Littlest Skyscraper”

Today in 2004, a historic designation for a district in Wichita Falls, Texas. One of the buildings that makes that district so historic is the Newby-McMahon Building, also known as the "world’s littlest skyscraper."

Marysville, Kansas, The Town Where Black Squirrels Are Number One

For Squirrel Appreciation Day, we visit a town in northeastern Kansas where black squirrels are number one. It's the law.

With A Name Like The Hope Diamond, It’s Gotta Be Cursed (Or Not)

Today in 1958, the Hope Diamond became property of the Smithsonian Institution. Legend has it the giant blue diamond carries with it a centuries-old curse... even though some of its owners have actually done just fine for themselves.

Florence Foster Jenkins Stunned Carnegie Hall With Her Singing

Today in 1944, the greatest concert in Carnegie Hall history, featuring a truly incomparable singer: the one and only Florence Foster Jenkins. Here's how the woman sometimes called the worst opera singer of all time ended up on one of the most famous stages of all time.

The Inventor Of Fettuccine Alfredo Was – No Surprise – A Guy Named Alfredo

It's National Pasta Day, and here’s a pasta fact that you might have guessed: Fettucine Alfredo comes from an actual guy named Alfredo.

Omar Kneidlik And The ICEE Made Summer A Lot Cooler

We’re in the heat of summer, and here’s the story of a guy who's helped millions cool down: Omar Knedlik, the inventor of the ICEE.

The Original Death Star Model Ended Up As A Garbage Can

It's the day in 1977 that Star Wars first showed in movie theaters. Props and costumes from the Star Wars movies have shown up in museums, and a few have had stranger afterlives, including an original model of the Death Star.

The Statue Of Liberty Sat In Pieces Until A Crowdfunding Campaign Got The Job Done

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.

Willie Mays Made The Catch, And That Was Only The Start Of His Play

Today in 1954, Willie Mays made one of the most amazing plays in baseball history. And yet, Mays was so great that some researchers say The Catch wasn't even his greatest catch!