The romantic image of the Wild West bounty hunter is a lone gunman who spots a wanted poster, rides into the desert, and returns with an outlaw slung over his saddle. The reality was far less simple. A dangerous fugitive could be pursued by a county sheriff, a deputy, a United States marshal, a railroad … Read more
On the night of April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln walked into Ford’s Theater expecting a normal evening of laughter at a comedy called “Our American Cousin. ” Instead, he walked into a moment that would define American history and leave questions that still linger more than 150 years later. The Civil War was effectively … Read more
A photograph from the Victorian era might show a family dressed in their finest clothing, seated in natural poses, appearing peaceful and composed. What the image does not reveal is that one of the subjects is already dead. In 1860s England, the high cost and rarity of cameras meant that many people were photographed only … Read more
Barney Kemp Riggs was born on December 18, 1856, in Arkansas, the second of seven children raised by Thomas and Hannah Felton Riggs. Shortly after his birth, the family relocated to Texas, where the Riggs name would eventually become tied to a long and complicated legacy of frontier violence and legal trouble. At age 18, … Read more
When frontier towns debated which gunman was the most dangerous, the name Bill Longley carried as much weight as Billy the Kid or Jesse James. Described as cold-blooded, unpredictable, and exceptionally quick on the draw, Longley built a reputation that made him one of the most feared figures of the American Old West. William Preston … Read more
On the night of July 9, 1943, Allied forces landed in Sicily, opening a new front in Europe and bringing the war directly to Italian soil. Within weeks, the fascist regime began to collapse. Benito Mussolini, who had ruled Italy for more than 20 years, was removed from power by order of King Victor Emmanuel … Read more
When JP Morgan canceled his plans to sail on the Titanic’s maiden voyage, he appeared to have escaped a catastrophic death. Less than a year later, the financier who had built one of America’s greatest fortunes died in a slow, grueling decline that his wealth could not prevent. Born in Connecticut in 1837, Morgan grew … Read more
On the night of April 26, 1944, a German general left his headquarters in Heraklion, Crete, and vanished. No explosions, no gunfire, no alarms. Heinrich Kreipe was stopped at what appeared to be a routine checkpoint by men in German uniforms who were not German at all. What followed was not a battle but a … Read more
Alice Gwyn Vanderbilt witnessed the Vanderbilt dynasty at its absolute peak and lived long enough to watch its immense fortune slowly dissolve. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 11, 1845, she came from a distinguished American family, but her life changed dramatically when she married into the wealthiest family in the country. After her father’s … Read more
A member of the Lewis and Clark expedition became the first American to explore what is now Yellowstone National Park, but his most famous ordeal began when he was stripped naked and forced to run for his life from dozens of warriors. John Colter was born around 1774 in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Little is known … Read more