Jun 30, 2025

Before the comforts of indoor plumbing and municipal sewage systems, someone had to do the dirty work. And by dirty, we mean truly revolting. The Night Soil Man was the one tasked with removing human waste from privy pits, outhouses, and cesspools—usually under cover of darkness when the smell might be slightly less...

Jun 28, 2025

As we continue our journey through The Forgotten Seconds, we pause to examine the life of Schuyler Colfax—a name once associated with optimism, eloquence, and the future of the Republican Party. He was Vice President under Ulysses S. Grant, a former Speaker of the House, and one of the most prominent political...

Jun 27, 2025

As we continue our series, The Forgotten Seconds, we take a closer look at those vice presidents who, despite standing one heartbeat away from the highest office, never became president themselves. Today’s spotlight is on Hannibal Hamlin, Abraham Lincoln’s first vice president—a name that once carried national...

Jun 26, 2025

I found this old postcard the other day, and something about it pulled me right in. It shows a dimly lit room, heavy with shadow and curiosity. There’s a man standing with a bird—maybe a parrot—perched on his arm. A woman leans against the back bar. You can just make out a bartender. There’s a large wooden chest...

Jun 24, 2025

This one caught my eye for a completely different reason than most of the postcards I’ve written about. It’s not a quiet street scene or a charming old building—it’s people. A whole lineup of them. Dancers, performers, maybe a few singers too, all standing in formation in front of a dramatic backdrop. They’re...