Why Chicago's Worst Public Housing Project became a National Disgrace
Cabrini-Green, the public housing complex once infamous nationwide as a symbol of crime and urban blight, has been slowly demolished over the past two decades. African American residents were scattered around the city, replaced by new retail and sleek condos for wealthier taxpayers. At one time, the crime-ridden complex was home to 15,000 people. The Neighborhood was near the North Community Area. Formerly "Swede Town" or "Little Sicily" and then "Little Hell," the site of the Cabrini-Green public housing complex was notorious in the early twentieth century for its inhabitants' poverty and dilapidated buildings.
20 Aug 202218min
Why the Queens Midtown Tunnel has doors to prevent disaster
The Queens-Midtown Tunnel was first planned in 1921, though the plans for the tunnel were modified over the following years. By the 1930s, the tunnel was being proposed as the Triborough Tunnel, connecting Queens and Brooklyn with Manhattan's east and west sides. Find out when was the Queens Midtown Tunnel built? How was the Queens Midtown Tunnel built? Why does the Queens Midtown Tunnel have doors? Does the Midtown Tunnel flood?
18 Aug 202218min
The Rise and Fall of Tombstone Arizona
To many around the world and even many Americans themselves, the stereotypical caricature of this country is the Cowboy Culture or the Wild West. These illustrations have been immortalized in many forms of popular media such as film, television, music, books and tall tales. And while the era of the American Wild West has been glorified and glamorized in the past century since it largely came to a close, it definitely does have roots in many truths. In fact, there are many towns and cities across the American Southwest with a history embodying what this era meant. The city of Tombstone, Arizona is a shining example of one of these. Starting off as a small mining town, Tombstone exponentially grew over the years into one of the busiest cities in the region, becoming the site of numerous heroes, villains, gun battles, silver mines, poker rooms, theaters, technological innovation and economic hardship. While the city no longer looks the way it did in the late 1800s, the history of Tombstone's role in a long-gone yet emblematic era of American history still remains.
13 Aug 202225min
Why The Longest Bridge in The World was Destroyed (and rebuilt)
For many people, driving across bridges is a frightening task. But can you imagine driving over a bridge going across a lake that is so long that you can no longer see land on either side of you? Or where the fog gets so thick that it's nearly impossible to see the car in front of you? Well, you don't have to only imagine it as a bridge like this exists in real life with the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. However, this famous bridge in the American South is not only known for being such a thrilling ride to cross, but it also plays a vital role in the city of New Orleans community as well as having a deep and illustrious history featuring many technological innovations that were created in order to resolve many obstacles in a story of adaptation and achievement. As it still stands today, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is also an engineering marvel, breaking many records and barriers. But what exactly is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, why is it so scary and how did it become such an integral part of New Orleans?
11 Aug 202215min
The Mountain Climbing Steam Train (The Story of the Cog Railway)
Cog railways have been constructed in mountainous areas or mining operations. Cog railways, also called rack railways, were built to climb mountains using a unique toothed rack rail. The Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire was the first use of this technology in the United States. There are also currently about 50 rack railways throughout the world. The Mount Washington Railway Company or, more familiarly, the Cog Railway, or simply "the Cog," was chartered by the New Hampshire State Legislature in 1858. Thankfully these railroads are now historical landmarks.
6 Aug 202214min
The Lost Battleships of Hawaii (How Pearl Harbor became a ship Graveyard)
Hawaii is an incredibly unique state within the USA. But Hawaii's place in American history and society often has to do with their geographical location as an archipelago at the halfway point of the Pacific Ocean between the United States and Southeast Asia. Inevitably, Hawaii usually finds themselves as an integral part of American Naval History. There are many physical or cultural markers of American Naval History in Hawaii such as prominent naval bases, the thousands of American sailors who live in the state, or even famous events like the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor which led to the American entry into World War II. One particular indication of the intertwined American-Hawaiian Naval History and culture, which also relates to Pearl Harbor are actually the sunken battleships from that attack, which still reside under Hawaii's waters. During the assault, many American vessels were sunk or damaged including several battleships, many of these ships were able to be repaired and actually went on to serve in the subsequent war but two famous battleships, the USS Arizona and the USS Oklahoma had a much more unfortunate fate and today, both battleships are both submerged deep underwater off the coast of Hawaii. However, each ship has an important story to tell, featuring heartbreak as well as brave heroism, national tragedy but also national triumph and unification. So if that sounds interesting, let's dive deep into Hawaii's waters to explore the history of the famous battleships that still lie there to this day.
4 Aug 202222min
Why Coal Breakers were Horrific Places to Work (Coal Breakers Explained)
Coal breakers were the machines that broke big chunks of coal into smaller pieces. The coal breaker was the heart of the coal mine. Coal breakers were loud and dirty, and they often needed a lot of maintenance. But without them, the mine would've been useless - even so, they were a horrific place to work.
30 Juli 20227min
Why Hundreds of New York Ships were Abandoned on Staten Island
The Staten Island Boat Graveyard, located at 2453 Arthur Kill Road in Rossville, was built in the 1930s and went by several different names, such as the Witte Marine Scrap Yard, Arthur Kill Boat Yard, and Tugboat graveyard. Now it's officially known as the Donjon Iron and Metal Scrap Processing Facility. The Boat Graveyard was once home to as many as 400 vessels. Today, the number has been estimated to be between 25 to 40 decaying ships. The scrapyard is known for its large assortment of obsolete steam tugs, ferries, car floats, and other crafts that have a comprehensive history.
28 Juli 202216min
