The Rosenberg Executions

(Julius & Ethel Rosenberg during their trial)

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were American Communists who were tried and convicted of conspiring to commit espionage by passing information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. The Rosenbergs, as a result, were executed in Sing Sing Prison's electric chair on June 19, 1953. They became the first civilians to be executed for espionage in the history of the United States. 

(The Rosenbergs following their execution)

The Rosenberg execution remains controversial to this day. Ethel's involvement in the spy ring is believed by many to have been minimal at best, as supported by recently decoded Soviet cables codenamed VENONA.

Also in September, 2008, Morton Sobell, a co-defendant in the trial, admitted that he and Julius Rosenberg engaged in spying for the Soviets but that he believed that Ethel only knew of her husband's involvement and wasn't a participant.

History Of Golf

The Old St. Andrews Golf Course in Scotland, where many believe the present 18 hole version of golf originated. This photo shows the world famous course in 1891.

Willie Mays

Hall of Famer Willie Mays makes his incredible over the shoulder catch in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians. Mays and his Giants went on to win that series, which was played at the Polo Ground. When asked about the catch, Mays replied "I had it all the way".

John Brown's Fort

In 1859, John Brown led his provisional army into Harpers Ferry, Virginia (modern day West Virginia),  and attempted to arm a slavery uprising by raiding the local armory. The raid failed and Brown would eventually be tried and hanged as a result. The armory pictured above in 1855, would become known as John Brown's Fort.

Whipped Slave

Peter, a slave in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, poses for this picture on April 2, 1863. He told of being viciously whipped by his overseers and having to spend two months in bed recuperating from his wounds.

The Hague

The Peace Palace, which was funded by Scottish-American billionaire Andrew Carnegie, is the seat for the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands.

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The Hague originated in 1230, and is the third largest city in the Netherlands. While it is the country's official seat of government, it is not the capitol. After having hosted international peace conferences in 1899 and 1907, the Permanent Court of Arbitration was founded for the settlement of international disputes.

The Mayflower II

The Mayflower II, a replica of the original 17th century sailing vessel that carried the pilgrims to our shores in 1620, is pictured in 1957. Built in Devon, England between 1955 and 1956, the project was financed by private donations from England and the Plimoth Plantation Museum. The Mayflower II is a symbol of friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States for collaboration in World War II.

Pilgrim Hall Museum

This 1910 postcard shows the Pilgrim Hall Museum, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The hall is the oldest public museum in the United States, and has been in continuous operation since its' opening in 1824. The Pilgrim Society, established in 1820, runs the museum which tells the story of the Pilgrims and the Plymouth Colony.

Jonh Alden's signature from a

document in the museum collection.

Vince Foster

On July 20, 1993, White House Deputy Council Vincent Foster was said to have scheduled a meeting with then President Bill Clinton in order to tender his resignation. He would later mysteriously disappear from his office and eventually be found dead in his car in a nearby Virginia park.

The official ruling on his death was suicide, but many unanswered questions and inconsistencies continue to surround his passing, and there are some who dismiss the suicide ruling outright.

To this day, it is still unclear how Vince Foster left the White House that day, as there is no video surveillance evidence that shows that he left under his own power shortly after lunch. We may never know what really happened to Vince Foster.

Mata Hari

Mata Hari pictured in 1906 wearing only a bra and jewelry

A Dutch exotic dancer who was better known by her stage name Mata Hari, Margarettia Geertruida Zelle was born in the Netherlands on August 7, 1876. At the age of 41, her spying for Germany during World War I was believed to have caused the deaths of 50,000 soldiers. As a result, Mata Hari was found guilty and executed by firing squad on October 15, 1917.

Stanley Steamer

The demolished "Rocket" Stanley Steamer is pictured in 1907

Twins Francis E. and Freelan O. Stanley founded the Stanley Steamer Automobile Company after selling their photographic dry plate business to Eastman Kodak. The company produced steam engine vehicles from 1902 through 1924, when the company folded.

The Stanley twins in the 1902 Stanley Stick Runabout

Into The Wild Blue Yonder!

During World War II, the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) was established to enable male pilots to be available for deployment to the combat zones. This corp of brave women were responsible for many tasks during the war, including delivering aircraft to various locations and testing aircraft for combat worthiness.

Violet Cowden was one of the over a thousand WASPs on duty during that period who would never have the proper recognition for their contributions until 1977, when their veteran's status was finally acknowledged, complete with benefits.

Today, Violet Cowden and her sister surviving WASP members were honored in Congress and presented with the Congressional Gold Medal. Violet is pictured above both during the war, and today at 93 when she took to the air in a light combat aircraft before the medal ceremony.

Of the 1102 WASPs who served, about 300 are still alive, with about 200 attending today's ceremony.

Natalie Wood

Whatever happened to Natalie Wood? Her family recently have requested that the case involving her mysterious death be reopened.

Born Natalia Zacharenko on July 20, 1938, the American actress met with an untimely death at the age of 43 on November 29, 1981, when she apparently fell off her boat and presumably drowned because of her inability to swim.

Wood had apparently been arguing with her husband, actor Robert Wagner, aboard the vessel the night prior to her body being discovered floating in the water a mile away.
                                            

Natalie Wood will be remembered for her appearance in such movies as the 1947 Christmas classic "Miracle on 34th Street", and "Rebel Without a Cause", where she starred at the age of 16. Natalie Wood is pictured here at the age of 15 in 1953.

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi served as the Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms, 1966 to 1977. She also served a fourth term from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. Gandhi was 67.

Indira Nehru is pictured below with Mahat Gandhi (no relation) during one of his fasts in 1924.

Heaven's Gate

Marshall Applegate is pictured on video delivering a speech to his followers on why the time had come to "leave this earth". The cult, known as Heaven's Gate was told that the only way to leave this planet was to rendezvous with a spaceship that was trailing Halley's Comet, which was due to pass close to Earth in 1997.

On March 26, 1997, having gotten all of their personal affairs in order, his 39 followers calmly tidied up their compound and poisoned themselves in a massive suicide. Police found their shroud covered bodies all neatly laid out in their beds.

Hey Kids, What Time Is It?

It's Howdy Doody Time! The Howdy Doody Show, one of the most popular children's programs during the advent of television, began to air in 1947 and enjoyed a successful run until 1960. Master puppeteer Bob Smith both voiced Howdy and hosted the Saturday morning program, which featured a children's bleacher section on the stage known as the peanut gallery.

Appleby's Car

Annie, Mary, and William prepared for an afternoon drive through the countryside in their 1917 Chevrolet.

Cheers: 1937

This photograph is featured among the many shots during the opening credits of the famous television sitcom "Cheers". The picture titled "Saturday night in a saloon" was taken in 1937 in Craigville, Minnesota.

The Mianus Bridge Collapse

At 1:30 am on June 28, 1983, a 100 foot section of  I-95's northbound lane on the Mianus Bridge in Greenwich Connecticut collapsed, sending two cars and an 18 wheel trailer truck 70 feet below. The lack of the normally heavy traffic in the area due to the early morning hour limited the death count to three people. An investigation found that during road repairs 10 years before, crews deliberately blocked drains on the bridge, and failed to uncover them when the work was complete. As a result, corrosion from water buildup over time weakened the structure.

PT 109

(PT 105 at full speed)

PT boats were a staple for the United States Navy during World War II. They were designed for speed when attacking larger conventional vessels. With a full compliment of arms, including torpedoes and anti aircraft guns, they proved to be workhorses in the Pacific theatre.

(PT 109 & crew)

Lt. John F. Kennedy, commander of PT 109, is pictured on the far right with his crew in 1943. On August 2nd of that year, his vessel would eventually be sunk in battle by the Japanese.

Union Station

January 1943 photo of the waiting room in Chicago's Union Station.

Eleanor Rigby

In the 1980's, Eleanor Rigby's headstone (pictured above in 2008),  was discovered in a graveyard near St. Peter's Parish Church in the Woolton suburb of Liverpool, England.  A few hundred yards nearby, another marker with the name McKenzie scrawled on it was discovered. The Beatles' Paul McCartney denies that the grave marker was ever an influence in the Beatles song 'Eleanor Rigby'. McCartney and John Lennon were known to sunbathe in the graveyard as teenagers. 

White Christmas

Pictured above is the before and after restoration pictures of the original sled used in the 1954 movie White Christmas starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney. I came across these pictures on a website for the A & D Restoration Company in California.

The sled was purchased from the Bing Crosby Estate in 1980 by the owners of the Crab Shanty Restaurant, a local eatery here in Maryland.  Below, the sled can be seen in its' current location at the center of the picture, above the antique post office facade in the distant part of the main dining room.

Bethlehem's Colonial Theatre

The Colonial Theatre in Bethlehem, a small town located in the middle of  New Hampshire's White Mountains, is pictured in a photograph taken in 1920. The theatre holds the distinction of being the longest continually running movie theatre in the United States.

                                                                                                   

          (The Colonial Theatre as it appears today)