Today is President's Day, and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate it than to take you on a journey through some very old newspapers to see what was being published in the days surrounding the death of the nation's first president. December 15, 1799, the day George Washington passed away, was a day of mourning for this young country, but it wasn't the only thing being printed in papers that day. What else made the news?

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SOURCES

“1799: Thomas Nash, after Rendition to the British.” ExecutedToday.com . Accessed January 30, 2023. http://www.executedtoday.com/tag/jonathan-robbins/.

“Andrew Ellicott.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, January 30, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Ellicott.

Bradford, John. “To The Public.” Kentucky Gazette (Lexington, Kentucky), December 19, 1799. www.newspapers.com.

“The Death of George Washington.” George Washington's Mount Vernon. Accessed January 29, 2023. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/the-death-of-george-washington/.

Galloway, Taraya. “Death of George Washington - This Week in History - the Official Blog of Newspapers.com.” FishWrap The official blog of Newspapers.com, December 13, 2018. https://blog.newspapers.com/death-of-george-washington-this-week-in-history/.

“George Washington.” Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, September 11, 2020. https://www.biography.com/us-president/george-washington#:~:text=George%20Washington%20was%20a%20Virginia,serving%20from%201789%20to%201797.

“HMS Hermione (1782).” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, July 7, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Hermione_(1782).

“John Bradford (Printer).” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, March 28, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bradford_(printer)#:~:text=Bradford%20was%20born%20in%20Prince,the%20Kentucky%20Gazette%20in%201787.

Lear, Tobias. “Mount Vernon, December 15, 1799.” The Pennsylvania Gazette (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), December 24, 1799. www.newspapers.com.

Moodie, Benjamin. “From Timothy's Gazette. Facts.” Aurora General Advertiser (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), December 20, 1799. www.newspapers.com.

“Mourning George Washington.” George Washington's Mount Vernon. Accessed January 30, 2023. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/mourning-george-washington/.

“United States: Georgia (2nd Story).” Federal Galaxy (Brattleboro, Vermont), December 16, 1799. www.newspapers.com.

Yost, Russell. “William Augustus Bowles - the Boy Who Became Chief.” The History Junkie, March 2, 2022. https://thehistoryjunkie.com/william-augustus-bowles-the-boy-who-became-chief/.

“‘It Is Our Mournful Duty...".” Gazette of the United States and Philadelphia Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), December 18, 1799. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

On June 15, 1904, a fun excursion down the East River in New York soon turned into a tragedy when the General Slocum, a huge steamship, caught on fire. It was devastating and had long-lasting consequences. Do you know the story, or is this your first time hearing it?

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SOURCES

“1,000 Lives May Be Lost in Burning of the Excursion Boat Gen. Slocum.” The New York Times (New York City, New York), June 16, 1904. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “Excursion Boat Burns.” Buffalo Evening News (Buffalo, New York), June 15, 1904. www.newspapers.com.

Magazine, Smithsonian. “A Spectacle of Horror – the Burning of the General Slocum.” Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, February 21, 2012. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-spectacle-of-horror-the-burning-of-the-general-slocum-104712974/.

“PS General Slocum.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, January 15, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS_General_Slocum.

“Queens, NY - General Slocum Disaster Memorial and Mass Grave.” RoadsideAmerica.com. Accessed January 29, 2023. https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/23195.

On March 25, 1911, tragedy struck New York City. The fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory that day was devastating, but it helped to bring about important changes in the workforce. What else was being reported in newspapers that day?

(See Additional History: Headlines You Probably Missed Facebook group for a list of all the sources used in this episode.)

On July 2, 1881, President James Garfield was shot, making him the second U. S. President to be assassinated while in office. The nation was shocked that something like that could happen so soon after President Lincoln was killed. What else was sharing headlines with the shocking news?

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SOURCES

“Advertisement: W.C. Coup's Biggest Show In The World (Pg. 2).” Omaha Evening Telegram (Omaha, Nebraska), July 2, 1881. www.newspapers.com.

Andrews, Evan. “The Assassination of President James A. Garfield.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, July 1, 2016. https://www.history.com/news/the-assassination-of-president-james-a-garfield.

“Assassination and Death of President James A. Garfield.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed January 27, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/jaga/learn/historyculture/assassination-and-death-of-president-james-a-garfield.htm.

Denver Michaels. “The Giants of Ancient Tennessee.” Denver Michaels, March 3, 2022. https://www.denvermichaels.net/the-giants-of-ancient-tennessee/.

“A Destructive Fire At Tombstone.” The Arizona Sentinel (Yuma, Arizona), July 2, 1881. www.newspapers.com.

“Garfield Assassinated.” The Leavenworth Press (Leavenworth, Kansas), July 2, 1881. www.newspapers.com.

“Historical Fires down through History - Tombstone Still Survives!” Tombstone Travel Tips, April 11, 2022. https://www.tombstonetraveltips.com/historical-fires.html.

“James Garfield.” Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, May 19, 2021. https://www.biography.com/us-president/james-garfield.

Reddick, Niles. “Giants among Us.” History and Heroes, December 16, 2022. https://thesouthernvoice.com/giants-among-us/.

“A Tennessee Giant's Bones.” Northern Tribune (Cheboygan, Michigan), July 2, 1881. www.newspapers.com.

“Two Claimants For A Wife.” The Courier and Argus (Dundee, Scotland), July 2, 1881. www.newspapers.com.

Wells, Don, and Diane Wells. “Mysterious Giant Skeletons in Earthen Mounds - Mountain Stewards.” Mountain Stewards, 2022. https://mountainstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/MysteriesGiantSkeletonsEarthenMounds.pdf.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

While World War II was being fought on multiple fronts, panic was filling one U. S. town. Someone was gassing the residents of Mattoon, Illinois. Were the incidents reported real, or was it just a matter of mass hysteria?

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SOURCES

“All Quiet on Mattoon's ‘Gas Front.’” The Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 14, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“Anesthesia and Anathema.” The Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 11, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“Anesthetic Prowler Adds Victim.” Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 6, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“'Anesthetic Prowler' Covers City.” Journal Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 5, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“'Anesthetic' Prowler On Loose.” Daily Journal Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 2, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“The Case of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon.” Illinois Times. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/the-case-of-the-mad-gasser-of-mattoon/Content?oid=11450083.

“Intensify Hunt For Paralysis Gas Prowler.” The Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) , September 7, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“The Mad Gasser of Mattoon • Unexplained Stories.” YouTube. YouTube, January 13, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_q2LMlDgBc.

“The Mad Gasser of Mattoon, Illinois.” Historic Mysteries. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.historicmysteries.com/the-mad-gasser/.

“Mad Gasser of Mattoon.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, October 29, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Gasser_of_Mattoon.

United Press. “'Gardenia Gas' Prowler at Mattoon, Ill.” The Belleville News-Democrat (Belleville, Illinois), September 7, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

Waters, Dustin. “The Mystery of the 'Mad Gasser of Mattoon' Who Terrorized an Illinois Town.” The Washington Post. WP Company, October 29, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/10/30/mad-gasser-mattoon-illinois-mystery/.

“‘Mad Gasser’ Case Limited to 4 Suspects.” The Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illnois), September 12, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“The ‘Perfumed’ City Speaks.” The Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 20, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

For more than sixty years, Ellis Island served as an immigrant processing center, but eventually the process was changed, and the island was closed. It was the end of an important era in U. S. history. What else was being reported in newspapers on that famous day?

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SOURCES

“Allen High School Is Ripped By Violent Gas Explosion Monday.” The Ada Weekly News (Ada, Oklahoma), November 11, 1954. www.newspapers.com.

“Allen, Oklahoma.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, September 20, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen,_Oklahoma.

Associated Press. “Allen School Blast Probed To Find Cause.” The Daily O'Collegian (Stillwater, Oklahoma), November 10, 1954. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “Cop On Stand In Sheppard Trial.” The Advocate-Messenger (Danville, Kentucky), November 12, 1954. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “School At Allen Is In Shambles After Gas Explosion.” The Seminole Producer (Seminole, Oklahoma), November 9, 1954.

Associated Press. “Widower With 12 Children Married, Family Reunited.” The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware), October 1, 1955. www.newspapers.com.

“Blast Hero Takes Blame In School Explosion.” The Daily News Leader (Staunton, Virginia), November 12, 1954. www.newspapers.com.

“Chronology of a Murder.” PBS. Public Broadcasting Service. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sheppard/chronology3.html.

Diamond, Edwin. “Science Discovers New Wild Fruit Drink Loaded With Vital Vitamin C.” Corsicana Daily Sun (Corsicana, Texas), November 12, 1954.

“Ellis Island Closes.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, November 24, 2009. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ellis-island-closes.

“Frank a ‘Fireball’ Hudak.” Find a Grave. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131873584/frank-a-hudak.

“Mary M. Hudak (Obituary).” The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania), November 25, 2008. www.newspapers.com.

“Oral Histories.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/elis/learn/historyculture/oral-histories.htm.

“Sheppard Murder Case: Encyclopedia of Cleveland History: Case Western Reserve University.” Encyclopedia of Cleveland History | Case Western Reserve University, November 11, 2020. https://case.edu/ech/articles/s/sheppard-murder-case.

Smith, Victoria. “Dr. Sam Sheppard.” Cleveland Historical. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/590.

United Press. “Progress Closes Ellis Island.” The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, Indiana), November 12, 1954. www.newspapers.com.

“Widower's 12 Kids Open City's Hearts.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York), November 12, 1954. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

On October 18, 1931, Al Capone, infamous Chicago crime boss, was finally convicted of a crime and sent to prison. What else happened on such a unique and famous day?

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SOURCES

(See a full list of the sources used in this episode in the Facebook group.)

Agatha Christie is considered by many to be the greatest mystery writer of all time, so when she disappeared in 1926, everyone scrambled to find the clues and answers to what happened to her.

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SOURCES

“Aeroplane Joins In Hunt.” Evening Despatch (Birmingham, England), December 7, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

“Agatha Christie.” Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, April 23, 2021. https://www.biography.com/writer/agatha-christie.

“Agatha Christie's Disappearance.” Agatha Christie: A Free & Comprehensive Guide To Her Life & Work. Accessed December 31, 2022. https://www.all-about-agatha-christie.com/agatha.html#:~:text=In%20December%201926%20Agatha%20Christie,be%20the%20victim%20of%20amnesia.

“Agatha Christie's Popularity.” The Leicester Mail (Leicester, England), December 14, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

“Baffling Mystery of Agatha Christie.” Evening Despatch (Birmingham, England), December 6, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

“The Curious Disappearance of Agatha Christie.” Historic UK. Accessed December 31, 2022. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/The-Curious-Disappearance-of-Agatha-Christie/.

“Far Stranger Than Fiction.” Mercury and News (Birmingham, England), December 12, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

HistoryExtra. “The Mysterious Disappearance of Agatha Christie.” HistoryExtra. HistoryExtra, August 30, 2022. https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/agatha-christie-disappearance-mystery-facts-poirot-miss-marple-detective/.

“The Missing Novelist.” The Daily Mail (Hull, England), December 10, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

“The Mousetrap.” Agatha Christie. Accessed December 31, 2022. https://www.agathachristie.com/theatre/the-mousetrap#:~:text=It%20opened%20in%20November%201952,still%20running%20to%20this%20day.

“Mrs. Christie Mystery.” Daily Herald (London, England), December 11, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

“Mrs. Christie's Dash to Cheadle.” The Manchester Evening News (Manchester, England), December 15, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

“The Mystery of Mrs. Christie.” The Evening Standard (London, England), December 6, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

“New Trail In Hunt For Agatha Christie.” Evening Despatch (Birmingham, England), December 8, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

“Two Clues In Hunt For Vanished Woman Novelist.” Birmingham Gazette (Birmingham, England), December 7, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

United Press. “Woman Novelist Safe; Mind Blank.” The Brooklyn Daily Times (Brooklyn, New York), December 15, 1926. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Unrest caused by the Vietnam War had been brewing for years. In 1970, that unrest only grew, especially on college campuses like Kent State. Join me for a look into the Kent State Massacre and other stories making headlines on the same day in history.

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SOURCES

“Advertisement: Reifers Carpet (Pg. 15).” Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Indiana), May 4, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

“ALM Flight 980.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, August 25, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALM_Flight_980.

Associated Press. “Hijacked Ship Is Returning.” The Columbus Ledger (Columbus, Georgia), May 4, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “Kent State Battle Takes Four Lives.” Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan), May 4, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “Pentagon Told Two Mutineers Taken Off U.S. Ammo Ship.” The Star-Gazette (Elmira, New York), March 16, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “Search Continues For Two Planes In the Sierra.” Reno Gazette-Journal (Reno, Nevada), May 4, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “Weather Hampers Search For Plane Crash Survivors.” The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), May 4, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

Associated Press. “Wedding Held In New York Park.” The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington), May 4, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

“Crash Hurts Judy Carne.” Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), June 17, 1978. www.newspapers.com.

Epstein, Curt. “An Anniversary for a (Largely) Forgotten Event.” Aviation International News, May 28, 2015. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/blogs/anniversary-largely-forgotten-event.

History.com Editors. “Kent State Shooting.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, September 8, 2017. https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/kent-state-shooting.

“Judy Carne Obituary.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, September 9, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/sep/09/judy-carne.

Kaur, Harmeet. “50 Years Ago Today, the Shooting of 4 College Students at Kent State Changed America.” CNN. Cable News Network, May 4, 2020. https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/04/us/kent-state-shooting-50th-anniversary-trnd/index.html.

Singh, Alita H. “We Are ST.MAARTEN .” Facebook. Accessed December 26, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/groups/301391893889685/posts/526275264734679/.

“SS Columbia Eagle Incident.” Military Wiki. Accessed December 26, 2022. https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/SS_Columbia_Eagle_incident.

“SS Columbia Eagle Incident.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, November 23, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Columbia_Eagle_incident.

United Press International. “22 Missing In Ditching of Airliner.” Kingsport Times (Kingsport, Tennessee), May 4, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

United Press International. “Bodies Returned From Sierra Crash Location.” The Californian (Salinas, California), May 14, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

United Press International. “Ship Hijacker, 2nd Man Flee.” Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio), November 3, 1970. www.newspapers.com.

Vordev. “Stewardess Margareth Abraham Awarded Posthumously.” Curaçao Chronicle. Accessed December 26, 2022. https://www.curacaochronicle.com/post/local/stewardess-margareth-abraham-awarded-posthumously/.

Weber, Bruce. “Judy Carne, 'Sock It to Me' Girl on 'Laugh-in,' Dies at 76.” The New York Times. The New York Times, September 8, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/08/arts/judy-carne-sock-it-to-me-girl-on-laugh-in-dies-at-76.html.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Multiple cities claim to be the home of the first movie theater, but this one had the earliest opening date--July 26, 1896--so it's probably the most accurate. Where was it and what else was happening around the globe on such an important day?

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SOURCES

“Advertisement: Keppler Jewelry Co. (Pg. 4).” The Anaconda Standard (Anaconda, Montana), July 26, 1896. www.newspapers.com.

“America's First Movie Theater.” Louisiana Official Travel and Tourism Information. Accessed November 29, 2022. https://www.louisianatravel.com/film-louisiana/americas-first-movie-theater#:~:text=On%20July%2026%2C%201896%20America's,Wainwright%20opened%20Vitascope%20Hall.

“The Baby Dead In Her Carriage.” The New York Times (New York, New York), July 26, 1896. www.newspapers.com.

“Beveridge Goes Free.” The Marshall Statesman (Marshall, Michigan), March 12, 1897. www.newspapers.com.

Bohnak, Karl. “August 25, 1896: The Day Ontonagon Burned.” https://www.uppermichiganssource.com. Accessed December 15, 2022. https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2020/08/25/august-25-1896-the-day-ontonagon-burned/.

“Extraordinary Case.” Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan), July 26, 1896. www.newspapers.com.

“Frank Samuelsen and George Harbo.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, November 28, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Samuelsen_and_George_Harbo.

Longtine, Sonny. “Murder in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.” Google Books. Google. Accessed December 15, 2022. https://books.google.com/books?id=wWt9EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT36&lpg=PT36&dq=JAmes%2BRedpath%2BMollie%2BBeveridge&source=bl&ots=FyUCm5JaKd&sig=ACfU3U0fXNCA3KXWg09TOHmhYz0iaB4fSg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjNspat7_z7AhXDMEQIHV8DBg4Q6AF6BAgaEAM#v=onepage&q=JAmes%20Redpath%20Mollie%20Beveridge&f=false.

Moag, Jeff. “Harbo and Samuelson Rowed across the Atlantic and Right into Obscurity.” Adventure Journal, February 28, 2020. https://www.adventure-journal.com/2019/04/harbo-and-samuelson-rowed-across-the-atlantic-and-right-into-obscurity/.

Pontchartrain, Blake. “Blakeview: New Orleans' Vitascope Hall Was the World's First Indoor Movie Theater.” NOLA.com, July 25, 2021. https://www.nola.com/gambit/news/blake_pontchartrain/blakeview-new-orleans-vitascope-hall-was-the-worlds-first-indoor-movie-theater/article_a6f9c41c-e8bc-11eb-b2d4-c7092eacba54.html#:~:text=Their%20theater%2C%20Vitascope%20Hall%2C%20opened,reverted%20to%20pop%2Dup%20exhibitions.

“Rowboat Adventurers Far At Sea.” The New York Times (New York, New York), July 26, 1896. www.newspapers.com.

“Rowing Across the Atlantic.” The Buffalo News (Buffalo, New York), August 4, 1896. www.newspapers.com.

“To Havre In A Rowboat.” Pittsburgh-Post Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), June 8, 1896. www.newspapers.com.

“A Triple Murder.” The Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), November 13, 1896. www.newspapers.com.

“Vitascope.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, November 29, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitascope.

“The Wonderful Vitascope Exhibitions...” The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), July 26, 1896. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.