Almost President – Benjamin Wade
In spite of how close our recent election was, there have been closer ones. In fact, two men lost the Presidency by just one...
Civil War Vets in the White House, Part 2
Rutherford Birchard Hayes (President from 1877-1881) was a genuine war hero. When the Civil War began, Hayes joined the many volunteers signing up for...
The President’s Lady – Lemonade Lucy
In 1877, Rutherford B. Hayes was inaugurated as President after a close and disputed election. (See the 8 September 2018 article "The Stolen Election...
Almost President – Hannibal Hamlin
Hannibal Hamlin missed being President by five weeks. Most history students know that Abraham Lincoln’s Vice President was Andrew Johnson, who became President when...
Henry Clay – The Great Compromiser, Part 1
Only two men in our entire history hold the distinction of losing three presidential elections (losing being defined here as losing in the Electoral...
The Great Commoner – William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was the youngest man ever to be nominated for president by a major party. He was also the only man to...
Faithless Electors
We will know on election night in November, or early the next morning, who will be our next President. But in reality, that is...
Is There a President in the House? – Part 9
Nixon was followed in office by his Vice President, Gerald R. Ford. Ford is the only All-American athlete to serve as President. He played...
George Washington – British Officer
George Washington is remembered for many things. He was the victorious general who defeated the most powerful army on earth to win our nation's...
Presidential Feuds, Part 4
The last great presidential feud was strictly personal. Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower just plain didn’t like each other. This was not a long...
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From Papyrus to Paper
Papyrus is an Egyptian water plant that has enabled man to preserve from oblivion the records of dynasties long since passed into history. The...
Qanats: Ancient Underground Aqueducts
Approximately 3000 years ago, clever technicians in the Middle East developed a method for moving water that was reliable, ecologically sound, pollution-free, long-lasting and...
The Golden Age of Canals: Europe Embraced Canal Usage and Development
Europe may not have been the first area of the world to use canals, but they embraced the idea of canals and developed them...