Amazing Tales from Off the Beaten Path

A Founding Father’s Son Jailed

William Franklin was the son of famous founding father Ben Franklin. He was also the Governor of New Jersey, representing the British Crown. When the Revolutionary War broke out, Patriot forces captured William and imprisoned him. How did Ben respond?

The Mystery Behind the Eerie Moodus Noises

The sounds have been described as eerie, dreadful, and fearful, and they've been heard for centuries. The so-called "Moodus noises" have come to define the small village where the sounds come from, and intriguing legends have grown around them.

The Strongest Man in the World

Farmer Elmer Bitgood drank 10 gallons of milk at lunchtime to wash down several pounds of hamburger. His biceps were 20 inches around. Newspapers nationwide in the 1920s dubbed him the strongest man in the world, for lifting 2,000 pounds.

The Logistics of Moving a Foreign-Speaking, 5,000-Man Army

In the Revolutionary War, the French helped the Patriots beat the English. When the French army came to America, there were enormous logistical issues for finding food for 5,000 men, hundreds of horses and wagons for their 700-mile march to the battle, and translating.

The Real Story of the Mayflower Voyage

The real purpose of The Mayflower voyage is not what's often taught in schools. Most travelers were looking to make money in new enterprises for financial backers in England. What they encountered and overcame was nothing short of amazing.

The Most Honored Actor in U.S. History

Nobody has won as many best acting Oscars as Katharine Hepburn. She won 4, despite having her career nearly derailed by the “poison box office letter” affair. And, she narrowly escaped death during the devastating hurricane of 1938.

The American Colony That Rose Above the Others

One of Connecticut's earliest governors managed to convince the King of England to grant a Royal Charter that gave the state autonomy above all others. John Winthrop, Jr.'s negotiation prowess was masterful and CT was the envy of the first 13 colonies.

A Political "Who Done It" Involving a Magic Trick

After the candles went out, and before they could be lit again, a critically important document was gone. The British had come to Colonial Connecticut to recapture the Royal Charter that had given the colony rare autonomy. But now, it was missing.

Archeologists Find a Camp Where Patriot Soldiers were Executed

It was unusual for Patriot soldiers to be executed during the Revolutionary War by their own commanders. During the winter of 1778-79, under-funded troops suffered without shoes and desertion rates rose. An example was set. And now, we know where.

The First School Exclusively for Black Women in the U.S.

The first school exclusively for Black females opened in the 1830s. Not all townsfolk approved. A number taunted Prudence Crandall's students and arsonists even set fire to it. Opponents brought legal actions that ended up before the U.S. Supreme Court.