Tag Archives: chicago

Woman Homesteader

Since Congress passed the Homestead Act in 1862, land ownership was destined to change drastically. Around 1869, with the Durbin brothers’ sheep ranch near Cheyenne, homesteaders began moving to Wyoming, hoping—like many others in the West, to claim government land … Continue reading →

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Qualities Of A Great Leader

My grandniece, Manuela Ortiz joined our family when she married my grandnephew, James Renville on July 18, 2021. Manuela, who goes by Manu, is a sweet, bubbly girl who has put the sparkle in James’ life. They are opposites in … Continue reading →

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The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre

On the morning of February 14, 1929, seven members of the North Side Gang, led by George “Bugs” Moran, gathered in a garage at 2122 North Clark Street in Chicago, expecting a shipment of illegal whiskey. Instead, they were ambushed … Continue reading →

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Fake Epidemic

During the Holocaust, the Nazis were systematically killing Jews just because they were Jewish. Sometimes the non-Jewish population tried to help their neighbors…to their detriment if they were caught. Some people his Jews, some smuggled them out of the country, … Continue reading →

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4D Transport

Dymaxion began as a brand, rather than a specific item. Born in Massachusetts in 1895, architect, engineer, and philosopher Buckminster Fuller decided to live his life as, in his own words, “an experiment to find what a single individual can … Continue reading →

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Charleston, South Carolina Quake

The shaking began at 9:51pm that August 31, 1886, and by the time it was over, more than 100 people in Charleston, South Carolina would be dead and hundreds of buildings were destroyed. It wasn’t that there were no warnings. Continue reading →

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Baby Face Killer

Lester Joseph Gillis may have had a baby face, but he was no innocent. The fact is that he seldom went by his real name. His alias was George Nelson and Baby Face Nelson. While he had a baby face, he was not a nice man, in fact, he was a cold-hearted killer, Continue reading →

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The Car Parking Machine

In 1932 Chicago was a city that was on the cutting edge of things, including car ownership. It wasn’t that everyone owned a car, but enough people did that there was beginning to be congestion problem where parking is concerned. Continue reading →

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Private Rail Cars

These days, people can buy a ticket to ride a train and have a private room with a bed and bathroom in it to make their trip more comfortable. Since I have taken a train trip from Seattle, Washington to Chicago, Illinois, Continue reading →

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Quarry Blast

Any kind of explosive can lead to danger. There are some industries that use explosives in their daily activities, and for the most part, all is well and people are safe. Nevertheless, there are those few situations, which always seem like they are so common, when they make the news. Continue reading →

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