Archive
Roanoke: The Lost Colony
Perhaps one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of American History is the fate of the English colony settled at Roanoke. Originally financed and organized by Sir Walter Raleigh, the attempts to colonize Roanoke failed and ultimately earned Roanoke the nickname “The Lost Colony.” Read more…
The United States’ oldest great civilization: Cahokia?
When we studied Native American history in school, we learned about many tribes. Chances are you don’t remember learning of Cahokia, a long-extinct civilization originally near what is now Collinsville, Illinois. First established around AD 600 and inhabited by a unique indigenous people, Cahokia was a civilization comprised of about 50 communities over 2,200 acres.
They built 120 earth mounds – some over ten stories tall – in the largest prehistoric earthen construction site north of Mexico. The Cahokians were advanced people who did not appear to be related to any major known Native American tribes. By 1250, Cahokia’s population rivaled Paris and London; at its peak in 1300, Cahokia numbered an estimated 40,000 people. It wasn’t until 1800 that a modern U.S. city would finally surpass that number.
After 1300, the population declined for unknown reasons and the city would lie vacant for another century. Read more…
The Dyatlov Pass Incident
On January 27th 1959, a group of nine skiers set off hiking in the northern Ural Mountains. The group was formed of graduate students from a nearby University for a ski trek across the Sverdlovsk Oblast. The students were all experienced hikers and seasoned skiers, and the route was rated as a “Category III” – the most difficult. The trip began rather uneventful, but by February 2nd they would all be dead with no witnesses or explanation. Read more…
What Happened to the Mary Celeste?
The Mary Celeste was a merchant ship that was discovered on December 4th, 1872, floating unmanned and abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. She had been at sea for over a month when found and had over six months’ worth of food and supplies on board. The cargo and personal belongings of all on board were untouched (including valuables), although a lifeboat was missing. What happened to the crew of the Mary Celeste remains unknown to this day, and as such she has become the archetypal ghost ship in history. Read more…
