Poe House

Edgar Allen Poe's mother's house, Richmond, VA, circa 1930

Abu Simbel

The Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, built in approximately 1244 BC, is located in southern Egypt on the shores of the Nile River. In 1813, J.L. Burckhardt discovered the temple, but was unable to locate the entrance, because a large portion of the front of the structure was buried in sand. In 1964, because of the construction of the Aswan Dam, the temple was in danger of being submerged deep underwater in what would become Lake Nasser. It was decided that the historic structure would be completely disassembled and moved 65 meters higher up the cliff and 200 meters back in order to save it. The entire project would cost 40 million dollars and would take four years to complete. 

His Final Picture

Bill Biggart was a photo journalist working in New York City on September 11, 2001 where he was killed when Tower #2 of the World Trade Center collapsed. When his photographic equipment was recovered from Ground Zero, the digital card from  his camera was found to be intact. Shown below, Tower #2 falling, which proved to be the last image recorded on Bill Biggart's camera before he perished.

Craving Freedom

With history developing constantly around us, today I feel it appropriate to recognize the historic event that is taking place in Egypt before our very eyes. Hundreds of thousands of Egyptian citizens have found themselves protesting in Cairo's Tahrir Square, and at other locations throughout the country over the past two weeks demanding changes in their government. Refusing to leave until their key demand was met, today President Hosni Mubarak announced that he would step down after 30 years in office, meeting the protestors' demand.

With the exception of a brief period of violence instilled by Mubarak supporters, the protesters accomplished their goal with totally peaceful demonstrations. The Egyptian Army has been assigned to run the country until democratic style elections can be scheduled in the near future. 

Paul Revere House

Undated photograph of the Paul Revere House in Boston, Massachusetts.

The Boston Molasses Disaster

On January 15, 1919, a massive storage tank at the Purity Distilling Company in Boston's North End filled with 2,300,000 gallons of molasses exploded, injuring 21 people and killing 150. The high pressure from the explosion created an 8 to 15 foot wave which traveled at 35 miles per hour destroying anyone and anything in its' path. Local folklore states that on a hot summer day one can still smell the molasses.

Presidential Visit

Lincoln's Son

Tad Lincoln, son of President Abraham Lincoln, is pictured in a Union uniform in the early 1860's. 

His 30 Year War

Hiroo Onoda is pictured in 1974 surrendering to authorities in the Philippines. In December of 1944 during WWII, Onoda, an intelligence officer, originally was assigned to Lubang Island in the Philippines. There he was to 'do whatever he could' to hamper enemy efforts to take the island. He and three other Japanese soldiers survived an attack on the island, and managed to escape into the nearby mountains.

Onoda held up there for the next 30 years, never knowing that the war was over. During  that time, his three fellow soldiers died, and repeated efforts to find him included dropping leaflets, which he believed were fake. Hiroo Onoda had told Norio Suzuki, a college student who had met up with him a few years earlier, that the only way he would surrender would be to his commanding officer. In February of 1974, Suzuki returned to Lubang Island with Onoda's former commanding officer, who persuaded him to surrender.