Here are 10 strange tales from America’s second war for independence that you probably haven’t heard before.

It wasn’t long after the Revolutionary War that the young United States found itself at war with Great Britain once again. Although the War of 1812 has sometimes been called the second war for independence, it’s been largely overlooked in favor of other conflicts, like the initial revolution and the Civil War. Washington, DC, was burned, and “The Star-Spangled Banner” was written during the War of 1812, but there are other stories that are too fascinating to be forgotten.

10 Kentuckians Accounted For 60 Percent Of US Casualties

When the Kentucky Historical Society established a commission to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, they were paying tribute to a huge number of their own. Around 60 percent of US casualties during the war were from Kentucky, a statistic that sounds rather unlikely but is true. Kentucky suffered greater losses than any other state.

At the time, the new state’s total population was only about 400,000, not much compared to other states like Virginia, which was home to one million people. More than 25,000 men from Kentucky served in the military and were stationed all over the US, making records extraordinarily difficult to track down. Some served for the requested 30‑day enlistment period, some served much longer than that, and many were incorrectly recorded in the military’s record‑keeping system, which too often relied on phonetic spellings for the names of their members.

By the end of the war, the death toll was a number that seems surprisingly low—1,876 killed in battle (not counting the many more killed by disease), according to Kentucky’s official roster. Around 1,200 of those battle deaths were from Kentucky, serving as soldiers, sharpshooters, and spies in the fight to secure America’s freedom. Kentucky’s losses were so great that nine of its counties currently bear the names of men who fell in one of the most unlikely named battles of the war, the Battle of the River Raisin. While “Remember the Raisin” became one of the strangest battle cries ever, the names Simpson, Meade, McCracken, Hickman, Hart, Graves, Edmonson, Ballard, and Allan were given to state counties.

9 Laura Secord: Canada’s Paul Revere

While the midnight ride of Paul Revere has entered into US mythology as a highly exaggerated story, Canada has their own version.

Laura Ingersoll was born to a US family that had fought against the British only a short time before. Her heart had other ideas, though, and she eventually met and married British‑allied James Secord. She ended up living with him in Queenston, Upper Canada. On June 21, 1813, a group of US soldiers showed up at their home and demanded food and lodging. While they were there, they discussed their plans, including where they were headed and exactly who their targets were. James, still recovering from wounds he’d sustained on the battlefield, was too weak to ride. Laura decided that she was going to warn the Americans’ target herself.

So she started walking.

It was 30 kilometers (20 mi) from her home to Beaver Dams. After hiking through swamps and bogs, she stumbled upon a group of Iroquois, who escorted her the rest of the way after she told them where she was going and who she had to warn of an impending attack.

Her story was almost forgotten, as there’s no immediate mention of her in any of the contemporary records of the time. It was only in a letter from 1827 that Lieutenant FitzGibbon, the soldiers’ target, mentioned Laura as being responsible for the warning. And it wasn’t until decades after that—when she was 85 years old—that she was recognized for her bravery on those hot June days.

8 Hiram Cronk: The Last Surviving Veteran

When it came to wartime heroics, Hiram Cronk missed the worst of the fighting. He enlisted in the military in 1814, during the heart of the war, and he was only 14 years old. As a part of the New York militia, he was stationed at Sackets Harbor. He arrived only after the worst of the fighting was over and spent 100 days in the military.

Afterward, he led a pretty normal life. He got married, spent most of his life in New York, fathered seven children, helped to dig the Erie Canal, and worked as a shoemaker. He also stayed in touch with his fellow veterans, and in 1905, he died as the last surviving soldier from the War of 1812.

Having reached the impressive age of 105, he was hailed as one of the final links between the post‑Civil War US and a country that was still fighting to secure its freedom. Even though his service had been pretty uneventful, he was honored with an incredible military funeral and parade through New York City, which was recorded on video. Roughly 25,000 people showed up to pay their respects to the veteran as he was escorted to his final resting place in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn. Among those who marched alongside him were members of the Washington Continental Guard, the New York City Mounted Police, and active members of the US Army.

7 Dolley Madison’s Red Dress

According to one of the war’s most popular stories, First Lady Dolley Madison was instrumental in saving some of the White House’s most priceless treasures from advancing soldiers. And while she might not have saved all the things she’s given credit for, it’s still pretty likely that she was instrumental in overseeing the evacuation of the White House and the rescue of some important pieces. One of those pieces is a little odd—the red velvet drapes that once decorated the Oval Drawing Room.

In 1809, Congress approved a massive budget of $14,000 (that’s over $200,000 today) for redecorating the presidential residence. A minor crisis happened when, with silk in short supply, they had no choice but to go with heavy, red velvet curtains. The decorators were horrified, but Dolley Madison loved the look so much that the curtains were ultimately one of the things she saved from destruction by the British. She said as much in a letter that she wrote not long afterward, so we know she rescued them.

It wasn’t until later that a widowed Madison was forced to auction off her remaining belongings, including an iconic red dress that seemed to be made of an unlikely material. Eventually, it found its way to the Dolley Madison Memorial Association, which joined up with the Daughters of the American Revolution to try to match cloth samples from the red dress with samples of the velvet curtains. While microscopic examination revealed that the DAR’s cloth wasn’t the type of curtain that they thought it was, Madison’s red dress was the same kind of velvet that would have been used to make the real curtains. Did she use the White House curtains to fashion a dress? Evidence indicates that it’s highly likely, but we’re unlikely to ever know for sure.

6 Machias Seal Island

The US and Canada still have an unresolved border dispute, and it dates back to the War of 1812.

Machias Seal Island is less than 20 acres in area and sits about midway between Maine and New Brunswick. Technically, most border disputes were settled with the 1783 Treaty of Paris after the Revolutionary War, but by the time the War of 1812 came along, the British were occupying Maine. When the Treaty of Ghent was signed at the end of that war, it divided up most of the nearby islands and properties between the two nations. Not mentioned, however, was Machias Seal Island.

Since it wasn’t specified just which nation should get the island, the British decided to go with a policy of “finders, keepers.” By 1832, they had built a lighthouse there, and aside from a brief period during World War I, it’s been solely occupied by Canadian forces, protected by the Canadian Coast Guard, and manned by Canadian lighthouse keepers.

The island’s nationality sounds pretty straightforward, but in 2015, Canada and the US were still involved in what amounts to a sort of diplomatic shoving match over rights not only to the island, but to the well‑stocked lobster fishing grounds around it. Disagreements over who has the right to fish the grounds have been going on for decades, with Canada pointing to a 1621 land grant to support their claim to the island and the US claiming that the 1783 treaty negates the first one. Weirdly, an opportunity arose to settle the argument in 1984, but it wasn’t taken. The issue was turned over to a court at The Hague that settled border disputes … but Machias Seal Island was left off the table, with neither country wanting to risk officially losing it.

5 Uncle Sam

“The Star‑Spangled Banner” isn’t the only patriotic symbol that dates back to the War of 1812, even though it wasn’t until 1961 that Congress officially declared Sam Wilson of Troy, New York, as the man behind Uncle Sam.

Born in Massachusetts in 1766, Wilson and his brother eventually moved to Troy, New York, where they became successful in the bricklaying and meatpacking industry. During the war, their company contracted with the government to supply rations to the troops. The barrels in which the military’s beef was packed were stamped with “U.S.” to mark them as part of the government contract, but those who handled the barrels often said that it was a reference to Sam Wilson’s real‑life nickname, Uncle Sam. Though no one knows for sure, Wilson is believed to be the inspiration for the patriotic symbol.

The earliest representations of Uncle Sam in connection with the United States date back to around 1813, and he took the place of another iconic representation of the country. Columbia (not Colombia), named for Christopher Columbus and taken from Latin words meaning “lands of Columbus,” was a female figure typically associated with the nation in its early days. She was eventually replaced by Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty.

The use of figures like Columbia and Uncle Sam to symbolize an ideal or a nation is surprisingly ancient, dating back to the Roman era and finding increasing popularity throughout Renaissance Europe. While most people are probably more familiar with the name “Uncle Sam” than they are with the name of his inspiration, “Sam Wilson” pops up in another prominent place—as the real name of Marvel’s Falcon and new Captain America. It could easily be a coincidence, but if so, it’s a fitting one.

4 The Question Of Secession

After the American Revolution, England moved on to more wars closer to home, and with them came the need for more and more sailors to man their ships. When they started impressing US sailors into service on British ships, Thomas Jefferson partially solved the problem with an embargo that forbade trading between US ships and foreign countries. While that certainly kept soldiers out of foreign hands, it also ruined the country’s economy, particularly impacting New England. Suddenly, it wasn’t England that was the biggest problem; it was Washington.

When Madison took over after Jefferson and declared war, he summoned New England militias to the South. Massachusetts said no, and in response, Madison sent no support to states that refused to support the war. New England was left to fend for itself and still bears the scars of British attack, as they burned ships, fired upon towns, and established an agreement with the Quakers that would leave them out of the conflict. The British continued to crack down on Northern trade, and New England politicians held their own meeting in Hartford, Connecticut, to discuss their options when it came to seceding from the United States.

The top‑secret meeting, now called the Hartford Convention, started on December 15, 1814, and members had some serious grievances. Those in power were largely Southerners, who had gotten where they were because of legislation that allowed slaves to count toward their population when it came to holding seats in Congress. Most of the expansion at the time was to the south and southwest, and the New England states already felt not only isolated, but as though they were bearing the worst of the impact from the war.

They even got as far as drawing up a formal document that outlined the conditions that had to be met in order for them to remain a part of the country, and they were on their way to Washington, DC, to present those demands when the war ended. The end of the War of 1812 was seen as a big victory for the US, and the political mood changed in Madison’s favor. The New England politicians gave up and went home.

3 The Congreve Rockets

The Congreve rockets are the ones that inspired the line about “the rockets’ red glare” in “The Star‑Spangled Banner,” and they were the brainchild of a British man named William Congreve. Until Congreve started working on them, rockets were used more as flares than weapons, but he saw huge possibilities in them, especially when it came to defending Britain against the then‑imminent threat of a French invasion. Congreve’s tinkering increased the size and range of the rockets that were currently in use, but he couldn’t quite figure out how to aim them. By the time they were used at Fort McHenry, 10 years after their development began, they were still considered fairly experimental and were employed mostly against ships and forts. Aiming didn’t matter so much when you had a giant piece of wood as your target, and they would start fires wherever they landed.

The rockets were too big to carry, so the British outfitted ships with them. The first ship to feature Congreve rockets sailed against the French, and the second was the Erebus, which was dispatched at Fort Henry.

Even though they were used in huge numbers (between 600 and 700 were fired), the “red glare” was an exaggeration. The Erebus wasn’t even close enough to hit much, and at the end of the war, the death toll actually attributed to Congreve rockets was three.

The rockets did, however, hit and destroy the Maryland farmhouse of a man named Henry Waller on August 28, 1814. At the end of the war, Waller sued the government for damages to his property. He won, thanks largely to his lawyer, Francis Scott Key.

2 Thomas Jefferson, The Library Of Congress, And Debt

After the British burned the capital and destroyed the Library of Congress, the largest private collection of books belonged to Thomas Jefferson. In 1815, he sold that collection to kick‑start the Library of Congress yet again, giving the government 6,487 books for $23,950 (over $300,000 today). While it might have seemed like the perfect way to reboot the library in a win‑win situation (the government got their books, and Jefferson could pay off some of his debts), not everyone wanted the collection.

Some congressmen argued that the contents of the books might not be suitable for inclusion in a government collection. Some of the books were written in languages that other than English, leaving some bothered by the presence of books that not everyone could read. A bill needed to be passed to authorize the use of government funds to buy the library, and some Federalist congressmen argued that Jefferson was simply using the sale to get his supposed “infidel philosophy” into all corners of the government.

The bill passed by only the narrowest of margins, and much of the money from the sale went to pay Jefferson’s creditors. William Short ended up with $10,500 of it (around $134,000 today) to settle some real‑estate debts. The last of Jefferson’s books left Monticello on May 8, 1815. When they got to the library, we’re guessing that the librarians were in for a bit of a surprise. Unlike most people, who tend to organize books alphabetically, Jefferson officially organized his by subject and unofficially organized them by size.

1 Black Refugees

When it came to strategy, the British struck at one of the subjects that formed a clear divide between the states—slavery. They offered slaves living in the US a choice: They could remain slaves, or they could join the British military and be given the right to settle as free men and women in British colonies after the war.

Around 4,000 people took them up on the offer, and they ultimately became known as the Black Refugees. Most ended up settling in Trinidad, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the West Indies after the war, making the War of 1812 the largest emancipation event in the country until the Civil War. Slave owners sent formal delegations to the British to complain about the loss of their “property.” Even free men who’d chosen to serve with the British Navy tried to talk some of the recruits out of their defection.

Lack of manpower meant that there were a few options for black men to serve in the US Army, but the prospect of being captured by British troops and shipped off to Dartmoor Prison was less than favorable. While many distinguished themselves in combat on US ships and gained praise for their abilities in combat, the prospect of freedom was much, much sweeter.

When the war ended, part of America’s demands included the return of its property either in body in or monetary reparations. The British absolutely refused on the grounds that any slave who made it to British soil was free, and British ships were British soil. They stayed free, too. The descendants of the ex‑slaves who settled in Trinidad still call themselves “Merikans.”

The history of the “New World” of North America, from the arrival of the Pilgrims to the establishment of what would become the United States, is already one full of intrigue. It is also awash with strange sightings of flying objects long before anything mechanical should have been in the skies. Even more bizarre, some of these early accounts seem to tell of “interventions” that ensured the success of the “experiment” that was the United States. The 10 ufo alien encounters listed below show just how curious the early American sky really was.

10 Aurora Alien: Aurora, Texas, 1897

According to the April 19, 1897, edition of the Dallas Morning News, a strange metallic craft screamed out of the skies over Aurora, Texas, early one evening, eventually crashing into a windmill on the land of a local judge, J.S. Proctor. Furthermore, an alien body was recovered from the craft, reportedly the pilot. It goes on to say: “Papers found on his person—evidently the records of his travels—are written in some unknown hieroglyphics and can not be deciphered.” The article concluded with, “The pilot’s funeral will take place at noon tomorrow.”

The funeral apparently did take place, and the alien body was buried in the local cemetery. The townsfolk would place an unmarked stone to mark the site, and the incident was largely forgotten. That was until the 1970s, when journalist Bill Case took an interest in the account.

Case would claim to have found the grave in the Aurora cemetery and even conducted basic tests which indicated a small coffin below. As he was in the process of applying for rights to exhume the grave, the stone marker mysteriously disappeared—as did the contents once hidden below it. Case believed this was the government removing the evidence of the alien body, an opinion he didn’t hold back on voicing.

9 Joseph Smith And The ‘Angel’ Moroni: New York, 1823

One evening in New York in September 1823, 17‑year‑old Joseph Smith was awoken by what he would later describe as an angel dressed in clothes that were a “brilliant white.” According to this mysterious visitor, who called himself Moroni, it was his mission to direct Smith to a location where he could retrieve sacred golden plates upon which were historical writings from long ago.

Smith did as the visitor requested, and if the story is to be believed, he did indeed recover these sacred golden plates and set about translating them. It would take him 15 years to do so, and the writings would go on to form the basis and ideology of the Mormon religion. Conveniently or not, the plates were taken back by Moroni once the translation was complete.

Whereas there is obviously serious doubt as to whether the account even happened, some believe Moroni to be not an angel but an extraterrestrial being. They point to claims he apparently made of being a “former inhabitant” of the Americas long ago, which coincide with many ancient astronaut claims of an intelligent civilization present in the United States thousands of years ago. The descriptions of Moroni’s appearance being a “brilliant white” also matches other descriptions of alleged contact with alien beings.

8 ‘The Storm That Saved Washington’: 1814

In 1814, after battling for two years, the American soldiers were looking rather decisively beaten at the hands of the British in the War of 1812. They could only look on in despair as British soldiers began to set fires in Washington, DC, which soon spread, thanks in part to the particularly hot, dry August weather.

As even the White House went up in flames, however, a sudden and drastic change in the weather brought gray clouds and an absolute lashing of rain. So heavy was the downpour that the flames were soon extinguished. Even more bizarre was the sudden formation of a tornado, which was said to head straight for the British on Capitol Hill. Those who didn’t retreat were killed in the freak weather incident, which was also seen as a crucial turning point in the conflict. Tornadoes are rare in Washington, DC.

Some people, retrospectively, claim the incident to be the work of an intelligent force—which leaves it to be one of either divine or alien interference.

7 Washington’s Visitations At Valley Forge: 1777

If the above incident wasn’t strange enough, then the one that George Washington apparently recounted to Anthony Sherman certainly was. According to Sherman, who was present at Valley Forge during the fighting with the British, Washington informed him of “green‑skinned” warriors who would visit him during the night. These green visitors would provide Washington with key information regarding British troop positions as well as the best places for him to launch his attack to take advantage.

Further to this, Washington also claimed to have been visited by an angel who showed him visions of the future—a future that showed America growing into the nation it is today. Washington would state, “I cast my eyes upon America and beheld villages and towns and cities springing up one after another until the whole land from the Atlantic to the Pacific was dotted with them.”

Many believe the visitors to possibly have been Native Americans with green war paint or more likely hallucinations experienced by Washington, who, like his troops, was battle‑weary and increasingly disheartened at the predicament. However, some, such as researcher and author Quentin Burde, believe the accounts are obvious signs of alien intervention.

6 James Lumley Sees A UFO Crash In Montana: 1865

According to several newspapers of the time, trapper James Lumley witnessed a strange craft come crashing to the ground in Montana in the summer of 1865. Furthermore, he managed to track down the wreckage and inspect it up close.

A pathway had been cut through the trees of the woods where the UFO had eventually come to a stop. After Lumley found the object, he would claim that it felt like “stone” to the touch and that it had broken into several large pieces. He would also describe what looked like “broken glass” around the area as well as a “dark liquid,” presumably from inside the craft.

Perhaps even more bizarre are Lumley’s claims that when he looked closely at some parts of the craft, he could see symbols that looked like hieroglyphics on the side of them. Newspapers theorized that the occupants might be wandering around Montana and were likely from Mercury or Uranus, noting how astronomers had “long held that it is probable the heavenly bodies are inhabited.”

5 Native Americans And The Star People

Like many other cultures around the world, many Native American tribes have creation stories that speak of beings who came from the sky (in this case, Star People or Star Nations) and kick‑started their society as well as teaching their ancestors wisdom and knowledge.

The Hopi, who have called Arizona home for thousands of years, are just one example of this. In addition to passing such knowledge as crop‑growing, astronomy, and building, these Star People helped the Hopi tribe survive various cataclysmic events in antiquity.

They would even call these beings the Ant People, who some, rightly or wrongly, have likened to the Anunnaki, an alleged group of “star people” who came from the sky and kick‑started civilization in ancient Sumer. Zecharia Sitchin wrote about the Anunnaki in his Earth Chronicles book series and speaks extensively of the Anunnaki traveling to the American continents. His theories match well with the legends of many tribes of not only North America but South America as well. Needless to say, his work is almost entirely rejected by mainstream historians.

4 Thomas Jefferson Describes A UFO Sighting: Baton Rouge, 1800

In 1800, Thomas Jefferson, soon‑to‑be third president of the United States, sent a most intriguing message from Natchez. In it, he described the sighting of a bizarre aerial object by a local man, William Dunbar, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Furthermore, Dunbar was not alone when he saw this strange craft above. It was allegedly “the size of a house” and the “color of the sun near the horizon.” As it made its way overhead, from the southwest and heading northeast, the ground below lit up fantastically, and a considerable heat was felt by all below.

Jefferson writes, “Immediately after it disappeared in the north east, a violent rushing noise was heard, as if the phenomenon was bearing down the forest before it, and in a few seconds a tremendous crash was heard similar to that of the largest piece of ordnance causing a very sensible earthquake.” To many reading that today, it would appear that Jefferson is describing an object breaking the sound barrier—something he would have been unfamiliar with at the time of writing.

3 The ‘Silvery Serpent’ Of Texas: 1873

During a typically hot afternoon in Bonham, Texas, in 1873, workers in the cotton fields were toiling in the heat when a strange object came into view above them. It moved with great speed and shone a “bright silver” in the sunlight. Workers would liken the object to a “silvery serpent” and quickly worked themselves into quite a panic, rushing in all directions to take cover from this mysterious metallic beast.

Many would describe the object as circling over the cotton fields, moving quickly in the afternoon sun, so fast it appeared to be a blur against the blue sky. Although the UFO disappeared shortly after, the following day, an object matching the description of that in Bonham was seen over Fort Scott in Kansas. Numerous sightings occurred over the Midwest over the following years of these “silver serpents” or “silver birds,” with some panicked residents even firing their guns at the objects in an attempt to ground them.

In an incident that may or may not be related, in 1892, two cowboys in Tombstone, Arizona, would claim to have chased and shot a “winged reptile” that was 49 meters (160 ft) long with a wingspan of 28 meters (92 ft).

2 John Martin And The Large Flying Saucer: Denison, Texas, 1878

Another account from Texas, this time in Denison five years later, would see a farmer, John Martin, make a report of a strange sighting to the Denison Daily newspaper. Furthermore, he would describe the object as being like a “large saucer”—a description that would capture the imagination of the American public over half a century later.

Martin was hunting at the time of the sighting. Out of nowhere, a “dark object” sped across the sky, moving faster than Martin had ever seen anything move. He had to keep refocusing his sight on the strange object, and although it was clear in his vision, the impression was that it was extremely high up in the sky. Perhaps indicative of the open‑minded approach by such publications (and possibly the public at large) to the subject at the time, the newspaper would conclude that Martin’s report and others like it “deserve the attention of our scientists.”

1 Objects Off The Coast Of San Francisco: 1904

Just after 6:00 AM on February 28, 1904, just off the coast of San Francisco, three crew members aboard the USS Supply witnessed three strange objects moving quickly toward their vessel.

According to the report, there appeared to be a “lead” object that was an oval shape, while the two that followed were a perfect round shape. The craft would ascend, descend, and then repeat and arrange themselves back into formation, meaning that the incident was not a meteor or comet falling to Earth and breaking up. The objects then ascended continually, remaining in sight for nearly two minutes before finally disappearing from view.

Over three years later in July 1907, on the other side of the United States in Vermont, came an extremely similar sighting. A “torpedo‑shaped” object moved across the sky at considerable pace before a round, silver craft appeared to follow it.

If you thought you knew every story behind the United States’ most famous landmarks, think again. Below are 10 bizarre secrets that lurk beneath, behind, or inside the nation’s celebrated monuments—facts that most visitors never see, but that add a whole new layer of intrigue to the places we all think we know.

10 Bizarre Secrets

10 The Washington Mini Monument

The iconic white Washington Monument that dominates the D.C. skyline was erected to honor George Washington, the nation’s first president. Most visitors recognize the towering obelisk, yet few realize that a modest, 3.7‑meter (12‑foot) version of the monument lives in the shadows of its famous sibling.

Installed in the 1880s, just as the grand monument reached completion, this tiny copy served as a “Geodetic Control Point” for the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). Officially labeled “Bench Mark A,” it functioned as an ultra‑precise reference marker for cartographers and railroad planners. Rather than the typical plain metal rod, NGS staff gave the miniature monument a decorative façade because of its proximity to the larger structure.

Over the decades, the small replica has gradually sunk into the marshy ground surrounding the monument. To protect it, workers encased it in a brick chimney and sealed it away, where it continues to subside at roughly 0.5 mm (0.02 in) per year.

9 The Capitol’s Flag Factory

The United States Capitol isn’t just a majestic legislative building; it also runs a little‑known service where you can purchase a flag that has actually been flown over the dome. The catch? Each flag spends a mere 30 seconds aloft on one of three discreet flagpoles perched on the roof.

Launched in 1937, the Capitol Flag Program (CFP) originally sold flags that waved from the grand entrances. As demand outpaced supply, the program got inventive: it installed a tiny “flag factory” atop the Capitol, complete with a service elevator and a trio of modest flagpoles that could launch dozens of flags daily, each for the legislated 30‑second interval.

Security cameras keep a watchful eye to ensure no worker cheats by cutting the display short—no one wants a flag that only flutters for 29 seconds. The result is a steady stream of genuine “Capitol‑flown” flags for proud patriots, albeit with a very brief moment of aerial glory.

8 The Golden Gate Bridge‑Boat‑Tunnel Thing

Although the Golden Gate Bridge is now an unmistakable symbol of American engineering, its early design history includes a wildly unconventional proposal that would have combined bridges, ships, and a tunnel—all in one.

In the early 1930s, local inventor Cleve F. Shaffer submitted a plan featuring two bridge‑like structures extending from each shoreline to a stationary ship in the middle of the bay. A tunnel would then run between the two vessels, with the ships capable of being raised or lowered to allow marine traffic to pass.

The concept suffered from a litany of impracticalities: spiraling ramps that would have snarled traffic, floating bridge sections that threatened maritime stability, and a complex mechanism for moving the ships. Ultimately, the city opted for the more conventional suspension bridge we now know, leaving Shaffer’s fantastical design to the footnotes of engineering lore.

7 The Supreme Basketball Court

The United States Supreme Court may be famed for its lofty legal decisions, but it also hides a literal “court” on its fifth floor—a compact basketball arena reserved for the justices and staff.

Originally a storage space for legal journals in the 1940s, the floor was repurposed into a multipurpose gym. Over time, a slightly undersized basketball court was installed, allowing justices such as Byron White and William H. Rehnquist to shoot hoops during breaks. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor even used the venue for women‑only yoga sessions, and a weight‑lifting corner caters to those looking to stay in shape.

Access to the court is strictly prohibited for the public. Because it sits directly above the main courtroom, signs warn that squeaky sneakers could distract justices during deliberations, making the space both a secret sanctuary and a tightly guarded perk of the nation’s highest judicial body.

6 The Disturbing Vision Behind the National Parks

While Theodore Roosevelt is celebrated for founding the U.S. Forest Service and championing the idea of national parks, the movement’s early backers included some of the most troubling advocates of racial purity ever recorded.

Figures such as Madison Grant, Gifford Pinchot, and other aristocratic eugenicists promoted the notion that certain species—including humans—were biologically superior. They warned of a looming “race suicide” if the nation failed to maintain a white majority, even suggesting legal restrictions on the reproduction of non‑white populations.

Paradoxically, these same individuals were vocal conservationists who helped shape the early park system. They viewed protected lands as a metaphor for a racially pure society, positioning white wildlife like bears and elk as the elite, while portraying other species as inferior. Fortunately, their extremist rhetoric was eclipsed by the broader conservation ethos, leaving us today with beautiful landscapes largely divorced from those original, disturbing motives.

5 Crazy Horse’s Ironic Insult

In 1948, sculptor Korczazk Ziolkowski embarked on what would become the world’s largest mountain‑carved statue, honoring Native American warrior Crazy Horse in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The massive project proceeded without any meaningful consultation with the very tribes it intended to celebrate.

The design features Crazy Horse astride a horse, dramatically pointing across the landscape—a gesture that references a folk tale where a white man asks the warrior, “Where are your lands now?” Crazy Horse replies, “My lands are where my dead lie buried.” However, in many Native cultures, pointing is considered profoundly disrespectful, turning the intended tribute into an inadvertent insult.

Native American leaders have condemned the monument for decades, likening it to a Mount Rushmore where the figures appear to be picking their noses. The statue remains unfinished, and its future hangs in the balance as advocates push for authentic tribal involvement before the project proceeds further.

4 The National Mall’s Dodged Bullet

The National Mall in Washington, D.C., is a sweeping expanse lined with monuments honoring the nation’s heroes. Yet in the early 1920s, a proposal emerged that would have added a statue glorifying a deeply unsettling chapter of American history.

Proposed in 1923 by North Carolina Congressman Charles Stedman, the “Mammy Monument” depicted a large enslaved woman cradling a white infant, supposedly honoring slaves who “desired no change in their condition of life.” The concept reflected lingering nostalgia for the ante‑bellum South, despite slavery having been abolished only half a century earlier.

The Senate initially approved the monument, even planning to place it near the Lincoln Memorial. However, nationwide outrage and protests forced lawmakers to abandon the project, sparing the Mall from a monument that would have celebrated a mythologized, oppressive past.

3 Lincoln’s Cave Drawings

The Lincoln Memorial, an architectural masterpiece honoring the 16th president, conceals an unexpected underground world: a cavern filled with century‑old charcoal graffiti left by construction workers.

During the memorial’s construction, workers had to excavate 12 meters (40 feet) into the swampy D.C. terrain to find solid ground. They poured concrete pillars to support the massive structure, unintentionally creating a sizable artificial cave beneath the monument. Over the decades, the sealed space even developed stalactites.

Inside, the walls are adorned with whimsical sketches—dogs, horses, flapper‑era women, and men smoking pipes—drawn by bored laborers over a hundred years ago. While some of the drawings are protected by plastic sheeting, most remain untouched, preserving a quirky snapshot of everyday life from the early 20th century. Plans are now underway to eventually open this hidden gallery to the public.

2 The Roosevelt Geyser

The Theodore Roosevelt Memorial today sits quietly on an island in the Potomac River, a modest park honoring the 26th president’s conservation legacy. Yet after his 1919 death, a far more extravagant proposal was floated—one that would have turned the site into a spectacular water feature.

Architect John Russell Pope envisioned a massive fountain, dubbed the “Roosevelt Geyser,” that would spout water 61 meters (200 feet) high—taller than the Lincoln Memorial itself—symbolizing Roosevelt’s boundless spirit. The design called for a towering column that would erupt water like a geyser, a fitting tribute to a man who championed the great outdoors.

The idea never materialized. Critics argued that constructing such a massive, water‑intensive monument so soon after Roosevelt’s death would be wasteful and inappropriate. As a result, the more subdued island park we see today was adopted instead, leaving the grand geyser concept forever unbuilt.

1 Lady Liberty’s Makeover

The Statue of Liberty, a towering emblem of freedom that greets ships entering New York Harbor, was not always the Roman‑styled, torch‑bearing lady we recognize today. Its creator, Frédéric‑Auguste Bartholdi, originally conceived the figure as an Egyptian fellah—a humble peasant dressed in a simple Middle‑Eastern robe.

Bartholdi’s initial design, titled “Egypt Carrying the Light to Asia,” was intended to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal, symbolizing Egypt’s role in illuminating the world. However, the Egyptian government balked at the cost, rejecting the project. Undeterred, Bartholdi re‑imagined the statue for the United States, swapping the Muslim robe for a classical Roman drape and renaming it “Liberty Enlightening the World.” The revised design was presented to the French government, which commissioned the colossal monument for America’s centennial celebration.

Thus, the statue we now adore began life as a completely different cultural symbol—an unexpected transformation that underscores how national icons can evolve far beyond their original intentions.

These days, much of the pre‑European history of the Americas has slipped into obscurity. It’s a real loss, because the great Central American civilizations spun tales as grand and gripping as those of ancient Greece or Rome. Take the rival cities of Tikal and Calakmul, whose four‑century clash reads like a real‑life Game of Thrones saga.

10 The Rise Of Tikal

The classic Maya world stretched from the Yucatán Peninsula across Belize, Guatemala and northern Honduras. The terrain was harsh—prone to drought, erosion, and thin soils—yet the Maya forged one of ancient America’s most sophisticated cultures, mastering writing, mathematics (they likely invented zero before anyone else) and monumental architecture.

Unlike the centralized Aztec or Toltec empires, the Maya never formed a single empire. Instead they organized into a patchwork of fiercely independent city‑states, much like the ancient Greek poleis. Warfare was often ritualized, while trade flourished across the region.

Two of those polities—Tikal and Calakmul—became especially wealthy. Both controlled fertile lands and access to valuable chert mines, trading jade, obsidian, feathers and other exotic luxuries. Under King Chak Tok Ichʼaak, Tikal eclipsed Calakmul, reaching unprecedented splendor and prestige. Yet that very success attracted envy from distant powers in central Mexico, who began plotting against the rising city.

9 The Invasion

Over a thousand kilometres to the west, in the highlands of the Valley of Mexico, rose an enormous and mysterious metropolis. Its original name remains unknown; the later Aztecs called it Teotihuacan—”the place where men become gods.”

Teotihuacan was colossal: more than 100,000 inhabitants made it the largest Western Hemisphere city of its era. Its monumental pyramids, including the massive Pyramid of the Sun and the slightly smaller Pyramid of the Moon, dominated the skyline, while the 2.5‑kilometre‑long Street of the Dead linked the main temples. Its warriors were distinctive, wearing shell‑goggles and carrying obsidian mirrors on their backs.

The city acted as a cultural melting pot, drawing migrants from across Central America. Priests atop the pyramids performed occasional human sacrifices. By the AD 370s, a powerful ruler known as Spearthrower Owl appears to have commanded Teotihuacan, and in 378 he dispatched an army eastward toward Tikal.

8 ‘Fire Is Born’

Spearthrower Owl did not lead the force himself. The expedition was commanded by a Maya‑named general, Siyaj Kʼakʼ—meaning “Fire Is Born.” He also bore the title Ochkʼin Kaloomte, or “Lord of the West,” reflecting his Teotihuacano origins. As his army marched, Maya cities trembled; murals from at least four sites capture the spectacle of heavily‑armored Teotihuacano warriors in elaborate costumes, starkly contrasting the simple breech‑cloths and headdresses of Maya soldiers.

In January 378, Siyaj Kʼakʼ appeared at Wakaʼ, a settlement just west of Tikal. Eight days later, on the 14th (recorded as 8.17.1.4.12 in the Maya Long Count), he entered Tikal itself. Wearing helmets and goggles, his troops overwhelmed the city, and King Chak Tok Ichʼaak was forced to “enter the water” of the Maya afterlife—most scholars agree he was either quietly murdered or compelled to commit suicide.

Siyaj Kʼakʼ likely eliminated the king’s family as well; their names vanish from the historical record. His soldiers also vandalized or destroyed all pre‑conquest monuments and inscriptions in Tikal. A year later, Spearthrower Owl’s son arrived from Teotihuacan and was crowned the new ruler of Tikal.

7 Building An Empire

While Spearthrower Owl’s son sat on the throne, Siyaj Kʼakʼ continued his expansionist drive. Shortly after the Tikal conquest, the city of Uaxactun appears to have been overrun and incorporated into the Tikal kingdom. Stelae at Uaxactun depict heavily‑armed Teotihuacano warriors, and archaeologists uncovered five murdered noble women and children beneath one of those monuments—the slaughtered family of Uaxactun’s last king.

In 393, Siyaj Kʼakʼ marched into Rio Azul, a Guatemalan city strategically located on the River Hondo, a vital trade artery to the Caribbean. Murals from Rio Azul show the sacrifice of eight members of the city’s former elite, and the city fell under Tikal’s sway, providing a crucial foothold that siphoned trade away from Calakmul.

At some point, Siyaj Kʼakʼ also appears to have installed a new ruling dynasty in the famed Maya city of Palenque. As the Maya calendar approached the 9.0.0.0.0 cycle (circa 435 AD), Teotihuacano‑Tikal seemed poised to dominate the entire Maya world.

6 Tikal Consolidates Power

Spearthrower Owl’s son died in AD 411, and Siyaj Kʼakʼ likely passed away a few years earlier. The new ruler of Tikal was Spearthrower Owl’s grandson, Siyaj Chan Kʼawiil II, who sought to solidify his kingdom by appealing to his Maya subjects. His monuments portray him in Maya dress, emphasizing his mother’s lineage, while his name deliberately echoes an earlier Tikal ruler rather than his Teotihuacano ancestors.

Yet he did not hide his Mexican heritage. While Siyaj Chan Kʼawiil appears in Maya garb, he retained Spearthrower Owl’s glyph on his crown. In several carvings, he is shown in Maya attire beside the spirit of his father, who dons full Teotihuacano war gear—an early propaganda masterpiece declaring, “I am one of you, but remember the power behind me.”

Meanwhile, “New Tikal” kept expanding. In 426, Siyaj Chan Kʼawiil elevated the warrior Kʼinich Yax Kʼukʼ Moʼ to kingship and sent him to capture Copán in present‑day Honduras. Kʼinich Yax Kʼukʼ Moʼ also seized Quiriguá, giving the Tikal‑Copán alliance control of the entire Motagua Valley. Under Siyaj Chan Kʼawiil’s successors, Tikal continued to grow, leaving rival Maya cities looking on in fear and jealousy.

5 The Star War

Today, the towering temples of Calakmul rise like icebergs from the dense Campeche jungle. In its heyday, Calakmul ruled one of the largest Maya kingdoms, home to the long‑lasting Kaan dynasty, which had relocated there after the decline of their earlier capital, El Mirador.

After the Teotihuacano incursion, the Kaan watched helplessly as Tikal eclipsed them—especially after Tikal’s conquest of Rio Azul, which cut Calakmul off from rich Caribbean trade routes. As time passed, Maya warriors began to master central‑Mexican weapons such as the atlatl, diminishing Tikal’s mystique.

Unable to confront Tikal directly, a Kaan ruler named Sky Witness devised a clever pincer. He forged an alliance of Maya cities surrounding Tikal, persuading Caracol—its most powerful vassal—to betray Tikal and join the coalition by 556 AD. With Calakmul to the north and Caracol to the south, Tikal found itself hemmed in.

After years of strangling the city, Sky Witness launched a “Star War” in 562 AD. This total‑war campaign aimed to crush the rival state completely. Combined armies overran Tikal, defaced its monuments, and ritually sacrificed its king—an overwhelming victory, though the saga was far from over.

4 The Wrath Of Kaan

The Kaan dynasty was ancient, power‑hungry, and resourceful. Originating from the monumental city of El Mirador, they had led the Preclassic Maya world and now seemed set to dominate the Classic period from Calakmul.

After defeating Tikal in 562, the Kaan installed a puppet ruler and imposed a harsh peace treaty. For the next century, no new monuments were allowed in Tikal, and much of its wealth was siphoned off to Calakmul.

Shortly thereafter, the Kaan destroyed Rio Azul, cementing control over the Río Hondo trade. They likely attacked Copán, whose monuments were defaced during this era. The Kaan ruler Scroll Serpent led a massive expedition to distant Palenque, executing its king—a descendant of the ruler established by Siyaj Kʼakʼ decades earlier. No challenge to Sky Witness’s alliance was tolerated. When Naranjo tried to break away and attack Caracol, the Kaan ransacked it and tortured its king to death.

Despite Tikal’s size, it remained a potential threat, prompting the Kaan to keep a hawk‑like watch. In 629 AD, Tikal attempted to found a new city at Dos Pilas; the Kaan responded by invading and forcing the brother‑king of Tikal to become a Calakmul vassal. Yet they never fully destroyed Tikal, which lingered as a sleeping giant.

3 Tikal Turns The Tide

In 682 AD, a new king, Jasaw Chan Kʼawiil, ascended the throne of Tikal with iron determination to restore its former glory. As a child, he had witnessed his father’s humiliation at the hands of Calakmul and Dos Pilas, yet he sensed the Kaan alliance was weakening.

Immediately, Jasaw commissioned massive monuments and inscriptions—the first new ones in Tikal for over a century. The city was still surrounded by the Calakmul alliance: El Peru in the west, Naranjo in the east, Dos Pilas and Caracol in the south, and Masaal and Calakmul in the north.

Choosing a bold gamble, Jasaw bypassed smaller allies and struck directly at Calakmul. In 695 AD his army “brought down the flint and shield” of Calakmul, achieving a dramatic victory.

Returning to Tikal in triumph, he held a grand ceremony on the anniversary of Spearthrower Owl’s death. A carving from the royal palace shows Jasaw in full Teotihuacano war gear, looming over an imprisoned Kaan lord ready for sacrifice.

With Calakmul on the back foot, Tikal’s rulers dismantled the surrounding alliance. Jasaw subdued Masaal in the north, while his son, Yikʼin Chan Kʼawiil, defeated El Peru and Naranjo in a single year‑long campaign. Yikʼin also launched another assault on Calakmul, capturing and sacrificing its Kaan ruler.

Nevertheless, Dos Pilas in the south remained defiant, defeating a Tikal invasion force in 705 AD—an especially painful blow, as Dos Pilas was ruled by a distant branch of Tikal’s own royal family.

2 A Tropical Cold War

With the alliance broken, Calakmul watched jealously as Tikal’s wealth and power swelled. Yet neither super‑power could utterly destroy the other, leading scholars to compare this era to the 20th‑century Cold War—two titans locked in a tense standoff, engaging in proxy wars and skirmishes.

For example, Tikal had been allied with Copán since Kʼinich Yax Kʼukʼ Moʼ seized it (see entry 6). Kʼinich Yax Kʼukʼ Moʼ also conquered Quiriguá, making it a Copán vassal. In 738 AD the Kaan encouraged Quiriguá to revolt; with Calakmul’s backing, the Quiriguá warriors decapitated Copán’s king, severely weakening Tikal’s most important ally.

These proxy wars grew more frequent as Tikal and Calakmul repeatedly invaded neighboring cities to install friendly rulers. Direct confrontation was avoided, but fortunes ebbed and flowed, and the records of surrounding cities are filled with nervous mentions of the two titans.

Meanwhile, the once‑great Teotihuacan had long declined, and Spearthrower Owl faded from memory in the Valley of Mexico. Yet in the Yucatán, his descendants continued to clash with the ancient snake glyph of the Kaan.

Warfare intensified across the region. As Calakmul’s sphere receded, the Petexbatun region descended into chaos. Residents of Dos Pilas tore down temples to build defensive walls, while the royal family fled to the fortress of Aguateca, guarded by a steep ravine. At Punta de Chimino on Lake Petexbatun, people erected a formidable network of walls and moats, yet both Aguateca and Punta de Chimino were eventually stormed and destroyed.

Both Calakmul and Tikal continued to grow; Calakmul alone housed over 120,000 inhabitants, with even larger numbers in its surrounding kingdom. Yet signs of decline were already evident as the centers struggled to maintain cohesion.

1 The Great Collapse

At the dawn of the ninth century AD, the Classic Maya civilization dramatically collapsed. The great lowland cities lost most of their populations or were abandoned entirely, swallowed by the encroaching jungle. Dynasties vanished, monuments crumbled, and the once‑flourishing urban landscape fell silent.

While the exact cause remains a mystery, modern research links the collapse to a prolonged drought period that likely strained the region’s agricultural capacity. Tikal, for instance, had built massive reservoirs to survive the four‑month dry season, yet years of insufficient rainfall would have overwhelmed even Maya ingenuity.

However, drought alone cannot explain the downfall—northern sites like Chichén Itzá persisted far longer despite drier conditions. Whatever the reasons, the collapse finally ended the 400‑year rivalry between Tikal and Calakmul. Locked in their titanic struggle, neither city foresaw the catastrophe that would sap their ability to respond.

Calakmul was among the first to disintegrate, losing cohesion around AD 810. Tikal held on for another half‑century before its abandonment. The descendants of Spearthrower Owl and the Kaan dynasty faded from history.

After the collapse, a small remnant population lingered at Calakmul, occasionally erecting crude monuments that mimicked ancestral styles—but the inscriptions were nonsensical. The art of writing had been lost.

Here are 10 strange stories from America’s spiritualist craze that still make us shiver. When the Fox sisters claimed they could talk to spirits by rapping noises, the hoax ignited a nationwide obsession with ghosts, psychics, and seances. From 1848 onward, countless Americans embraced Spiritualism, a belief system that held the dead could communicate with the living.

10 Strange Stories Unveiled

10 Machine

Jonathan Koons, a farmer who lived in rural Ohio, was originally skeptical of Spiritualism. By 1852, Koons had changed his mind and began to declare that he and his nine children—including a baby not even a year old—were all mediums. The farmer decided to construct a log house and, after receiving messages from spirits, was told to make and store a “spirit‑machine” in the building.

Created with copper and zinc, Koons’s device could allegedly summon spirits to play the guitar, drums, and other instruments kept in the log house. The spirits were all too happy to perform and sing at night in the dark room, and their show attracted neighbors and visitors from as far away as New York.

According to messages left in the room, which were composed in a script strongly similar to Koons’s handwriting, these invisible musicians were ancient creatures who preceded Adam and Eve.

After the success of their spirit‑machine, Koons and his children took to the road to show off their psychic gifts. Perhaps they were hopeless without their machine (or the darkness of their log cabin), but the Koonses ended up being exposed as frauds when a disembodied hand during a seance proved to be one of the children’s hands.

9 The Possession And Arrest Of Mary Jane

In 1846, a servant girl named Mary Jane apparently suffered from being possessed by not one but two spirits. The first spirit was a good girl; the other was an unsavory sailor who said words that no 19th‑century lady was thought to have known.

This sharp‑tongued spirit delighted in torturing poor Mary Jane, knocking her knees and wrists out of joint and laughing and joking about her pain. The girl’s master, a surgeon named Dr. Larkin, had no idea how to treat her. Eventually, an enemy of Dr. Larkin, the pastor Reverend Horace James, convinced the authorities in Dedham, Massachusetts, to arrest Mary Jane for the crime of necromancy.

Amazingly, James was allowed to serve as both a witness and a judge. Dr. Larkin was accused of sorcery, and Mary Jane was convicted and imprisoned for two months.

The aftermath of Mary Jane’s story is murky, but while Dr. Larkin was disgraced, he continued to believe in spirits. After his wife’s death, in fact, Dr. Larkin maintained that her spirit protected him from train accidents and other misfortunes.

8 The Cup And Spoon Healer

The Southern preacher Jesse Babcock Ferguson was a popular lecturer on Spiritualism. Conveniently, his teenage daughter, Virginia, happened to be a medium. Although Ferguson testified that Virginia was a child “certainly deficient in what is usually called talent,” he reported that his incredibly average daughter was capable of healing through the spirit of an Indian doctor.

Virginia’s penchant for healing appeared suddenly one day when a slave boy hurt his arm and shoulder. Somehow or another, Virginia came under the influence of the spirit.

She touched the boy’s injuries and, using a cup and spoon, concocted a dark liquid that she gave to the boy and everybody else at the house who, in Ferguson’s words, was “invalid.” Everyone drank this liquid repeatedly over the next two weeks, and it worked so well that only one of the test subjects was still sick.

The teenager repeated her cup and spoon trick again for her sick mother. After fetching the two necessary tools, Virginia made another liquid out of thin air. The medicine cured her mother easily, and Virginia subsequently showed herself willing to heal anybody who complained of being sick.

7 Thomas Paine’s Spirit

For all the obscure ancient and foreign souls said to have communicated with spiritualists, the spirits of such famous American icons as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine also liked to keep busy. Countless messages were credited to their spirits, with one reverend named Charles Hammond going so far as to publish a book that he insisted was written posthumously by Paine.

The author of the influential pamphlet Common Sense, Paine was an unabashed deist in his own day. He was such a critic of Christianity that the Quakers in his town wouldn’t bury him after he died.

Four decades later in the early 1850s, Charles Hammond declared that Paine communicated with him through automatic writing. The result of their correspondence, Light from the Spirit World, narrates Paine’s supposed adventures in Heaven.

Along his journey across the seven circles of Heaven, Paine sees the spirits of his wife and mother and takes William Penn as his mentor. At the end of the book, the skeptical Paine learns that Spiritualism is the one and only truth and that both skeptics and hard‑core Christians will doubt his message. Of course, Penn was right and Light from the Spirit World was critically panned.

6 The Spirit Painters

In 1894, Chicago mediums Elizabeth and May Bangs offered a new service for their patrons: spirit painting. The sisters would contact the spirit of a customer’s deceased loved one and then have a portrait magically painted in the spirit’s likeness. Despite being repeatedly debunked, the sisters’ painting scheme was convincing enough to last for decades.

One satisfied banker named John Payne left an account of the sisters’ process, which he saw with two other witnesses. The sisters were able to paint a picture of his father, a man who’d died 14 years earlier.

Payne described the session as taking place in the daytime with the sisters placing the canvas on a frame near a window. Each sister held a side of the frame, and there weren’t any brushes or other supplies in their vicinity.

While the sisters closed their eyes, an image slowly appeared on the canvas over the course of an hour. The picture materialized all at once, evolving from a shadow to a complete piece. Payne claimed that the sisters never saw a photograph of his father and praised their work as “the best picture of my father we ever had.”

5 The Hieroglyphic Turnips

Among the spiritualists, spirits were generally thought to be a benevolent force. Not every interaction was positive, however, as the Connecticut minister Dr. Austin Phelps and his family could attest. Beginning in March 1850 and lasting for a year and a half, their house was sieged with poltergeist activity.

In addition to the usual tropes like mysterious rappings, flying furniture, and broken windows, the Phelpses were entertained by even stranger experiences. Turnips bearing hieroglyphs grew out of their carpet, a large potato materialized out of thin air, and the oldest son was flown into the air and had his pants ripped apart. Figures were also seen in the house, such as a group of 11 women kneeling and reading Bibles.

The house’s notoriety soon attracted Andrew Jackson Davis, a noted clairvoyant of the day. Davis credited the rappings in the house to electricity in the Phelpses’ oldest son and believed that spirits were responsible for the other shenanigans.

And the hieroglyphic turnips? It turned out that those were naturally an attempt by a sophisticated flock of angels to establish contact with human beings.

4 The Lord Sisters

Annie and Jennie Lord were sisters from Maine who repeatedly emphasized their lack of musical talent. The sisters held that they were so sick and fragile that they couldn’t play any instruments. Fortunately, they were gifted mediums and could order spirits to play music instead.

For their spiritual concert, the Lords would gather instruments in a room and shut off the lights. One sister would act as the medium, sitting quietly in a chair, while the other would sit away from her.

When the show started, a symphony of different instruments could be heard in the dark room. Everything from guitars to drums to accordions were heard, all of them played rather well. Sometimes, only a single instrument was played. Other times, multiple instruments were used by the spirits.

Aside from holding these concerts, the Lord sisters also specialized in spirit communication. From one 1876 ad in the spiritualist journal Banner of Light, Jennie promised remote readers that she could contact their “spirit friends” so long as they sent her in the mail a dollar, three stamps, and a lock of hair.

3 The New Motor

John Murray Spear had a divine mission. After turning his back on organized religion, Spear got caught up in Spiritualism and started to receive messages from an elite team of spirits that he called the “Electrizers.” To help humanity, the Electrizers commanded Spear to build a special electric motor that could power the entire world with unlimited energy.

Spear dubbed the machine “The New Motor,” and it was supposed to be a living, humanlike mechanism that would be a messiah. In 1853, after nearly a year of building, Spear and his followers finished constructing the motor. To celebrate its conception, Spear organized a mock birth ritual with a female medium who served as a Mary figure.

It was said that the machine made slight movements, marking it as a success in Spear’s opinion. But the masses couldn’t appreciate Spear’s generous effort to save them. In a fit of rage, a mob destroyed the motor, an outcome that led Spear to note that humanity wasn’t ready for salvation.

2 Leonora Piper

Leonora Piper had her first brush with the spirit world when she was eight. Supposedly, she experienced a vision of her aunt’s death. By the 1880s, Piper had established herself as a trance medium.

When she fell into her trances, Piper became controlled by Phinuit, the spirit of a Frenchman who spoke in a crude male voice. Phinuit would say that he was a doctor, but unsurprisingly, nobody could verify that he ever existed.

In 1892, a new spirit took hold of Piper, claiming to be an American man named George Pellew. Piper’s impersonation of Pellew during her trances worked so well that it fooled the late man’s friends.

On the other hand, Pellew’s relatives weren’t so gullible. As skepticism mounted, Piper switched gears, saying that another spirit had displaced that of Pellew.

By 1911, Piper gave up the medium game altogether. She passed away many years later in 1950. During her long career, Piper was sometimes held up as proof that Spiritualism was legitimate.

For example, the Society for Psychical Research studied Piper for over two decades. Even William James, the “father of American psychology,” took an interest, although he ultimately wasn’t convinced by her abilities.

1 The Spirit Photographer

If spirits could talk, paint, and play music, then it wasn’t much of a stretch to believe that they could have their pictures taken. The practice of spirit photography was pioneered by William Mumler, a Boston engraver who made the first such picture in 1862.

At a time when numerous US families were grieving over relatives killed during the Civil War, Mumler’s claim that he could photograph the dead proved to be a profitable business.

Typically, Mumler’s pictures depicted a living person with the “spirit” of a loved one. By modern standards, the pictures are blatantly fake, yet they must have seemed incredible at the time.

When a woman named Emma Hardinge Britten had a spirit photograph done by Mumler, she failed to recognize the ghostly figure that had materialized behind her. As a huge Beethoven fan, Mumler was able to convince Britten that the spirit was Beethoven himself.

Mumler had his doubters, and while he eventually landed in legal trouble, he was never convicted of fraud. In fact, Mumler had many supporters. His photograph of Mary Todd Lincoln and the “spirit” of Abraham Lincoln remains one of the best‑known alleged pictures of a ghost.

Tristan Shaw is an American writer who enjoys folklore, film, and history. You can follow him on Twitter.

“I would carry fire in one hand,” a fervent early American preacher warned his flock, “to burn all the Quakers in the world.” Ironically, these very Puritan colonists had fled England seeking religious liberty, only to unleash a reign of terror on the very dissenters they claimed to protect. Here are the 10 horrifying ways Puritans tormented Quakers in America.

10 Horrifying Ways Puritans Persecuted Quakers

When Mary Fisher and Ann Austin, two English missionaries, stepped onto New England soil in 1656, they were met not with curiosity but with cruelty. The Puritan leadership, already jittery about any dissent, immediately branded the pair as dangerous agitators and set about making an example of them.

Within hours of their arrival, the women were hauled before a magistrate and charged with holding “dangerous, heretical, and blasphemous opinions.” The sentence was swift: they were to be stripped of clothing, beaten mercilessly, and thrown into prison solely for their Quaker identity.

The Puritans took the stripping literally, demanding the women be laid bare in the hopes of uncovering evidence of witchcraft. A group of townspeople was tasked with pulling off their garments and probing their bodies for the tell‑tale “witch’s teat.” Ann Austin later recalled that at least one of the interrogators was “a man in woman’s apparel,” underscoring the grotesque nature of the spectacle.

Finding no “witch” evidence, the colonists resorted to a slower, more insidious death: starvation. The two were denied even basic sustenance such as bread, forced to survive on meager rations while chained in a damp cell for five weeks.

Salvation arrived in the form of Nicholas Upsall, a local sympathizer who slipped food to the women in secret. His covert bribery kept them alive long enough for the authorities to abandon their punishment, eventually shipping Fisher and Austin off to Barbados on a one‑way voyage.

9 Puritans Fined Anyone Who Brought A Quaker To America

After the first two women were expelled, the Puritan legislature tightened its grip. A new ordinance declared that any vessel docking with a Quaker aboard would be slapped with a £100 fine, and the offending passenger would be forced to fund his own return.

Defiance of this law meant imprisonment until the offender renounced his faith, while the Quakers themselves faced twenty lashes, hard labor, and a forced exile back to Europe. The colonists even went so far as to banish every Quaker book, ordering citizens who saw one to deliver it to magistrates for immediate incineration.

These draconian measures failed to halt Quaker missionary zeal. When no ship would carry them across the Atlantic, the Quakers built their own vessel, the Woodhouse, and set sail under their own banner, defiantly breaching the Puritan edict.

8 Women Were Stripped Naked And Beaten

Puritan cruelty took a disturbingly sexual turn when they began publicly humiliating Quaker women. Stripped down to their waists, the women were paraded through town squares while men whipped their backs, turning punishment into a grotesque spectacle.

Three women—Ann Coleman, Mary Tompkins, and Alice Ambrose—suffered the worst of these ordeals. In the dead of winter, they were stripped, shackled to the back of a cart, and dragged through eleven towns over a stretch of roughly 130 kilometers (80 miles). At each stop, a local woman was forced to disrobe them again while a constable beat them until they bled.

These barbaric processions were not isolated incidents. Countless other Quaker women endured similar stripping and beating, often while their husbands were forced to watch helplessly as their wives were subjected to public violence, all under the guise of defending “true” Christianity.

7 Quakers Caught In Massachusetts Had Their Ears Cut Off

From 1656 onward, the Massachusetts Bay Colony enacted a gruesome ordinance: any male Quaker caught within its borders would have his right ear severed. A repeat offender faced the loss of his other ear, and a third return would earn a tongue pierced with a red‑hot iron.

Christopher Holder and John Copeland became the first victims of this law. After arriving aboard the self‑built Woodhouse, they were hauled to prison on July 17 1658, where Puritan officials sliced off both men’s right ears before subjecting them to nine weeks of relentless whipping.

Following their brutal punishment, the duo was shipped back to England under threat of execution should they ever set foot in Massachusetts again. The Puritans warned that any future return would be met with immediate death.

6 Four Quakers Were Murdered For Their Beliefs

Holder and Copeland escaped execution, but the Puritan regime soon turned its wrath on other Quakers. Five days after the two were expelled, three more Quakers arrived to protest their mistreatment.

Marmaduke Stephenson and William Robinson were seized, dragged to a public gallows, and hanged before a cheering crowd. Their companion, Mary Dyer, was spared only after her son begged the governor to spare her life in exchange for a promise never to return.

Mary Dyer, however, could not abandon her convictions. Within a year she defied the governor’s terms, returned to Boston, and was executed alongside William Leddra—making them the final Quakers to die at the hands of the Puritans.

5 Dead Quakers’ Bodies Were Desecrated And Humiliated

Before her execution, Mary Dyer suffered a personal tragedy: a stillborn child. Though a few compassionate locals helped her give the infant a dignified burial outside Boston, Governor John Winthrop seized the tragedy for propaganda.

Winthrop ordered the baby’s corpse to be exhumed and displayed publicly, branding the infant a “monster” and insinuating that Dyer was a witch. This grotesque spectacle was intended to further demonize her faith.

After her death, the Puritans denied Dyer a proper burial. Though Nicholas Upsall petitioned to fence a respectable grave for her, the authorities refused, leaving her body to rest without ceremony or protection.

4 The Puritans Threatened Rhode Island For Harboring Quakers

Not every colony shared the Puritan zeal for persecution. Native American tribes generally treated Quakers kindly, and one indigenous ally famously remarked, “What a God have the English, who deal so with one another about their God?”

The greatest sanctuary for Quakers was the colony of Rhode Island, which steadfastly refused to punish them for their beliefs. As Puritan pressure mounted, they threatened to cut off trade and communication unless Rhode Island began torturing, exiling, and executing Quakers.

Governor Benedict Arnold (not the Revolutionary‑war traitor) replied defiantly, declaring, “We have no laws among us, whereby to punish any for only declaring [their views] by words.” Rhode Island’s resolve provided a crucial haven for beleaguered Quakers.

3 People Who Spoke Out In Their Defense Were Arrested

The Dutch colony of New Netherlands was no sanctuary either. Governor Peter Stuyvesant enacted a law forbidding anyone from sheltering a Quaker in their home, and violators were promptly imprisoned.

When a group of citizens, led by Edward Hart, drafted a protest letter denouncing the persecution, the authorities responded harshly. Every signer was arrested; those holding government positions were dismissed on the spot. The imprisoned signatories were fed only bread and water and told they would remain jailed until they renounced their support for the Quakers.

Edward Hart was the lone steadfast defender; while the others eventually recanted, Hart endured imprisonment until the colony feared he might die under their watch. Ultimately, he was banished, highlighting the severe cost of dissent.

2 Two Quaker Children Were Almost Sold Into Slavery

In 1659, the Salem magistrates devised a chilling plan to settle the Southwick family’s mounting fines. Daniel and Provided Southwick, the children of Quaker converts, were slated to be shipped to Barbados and sold into slavery to cover the debt.

The Southwick parents had endured repeated beatings, imprisonment, and crippling fines aimed at forcing them to abandon their faith. When their assets were seized and still insufficient, the governor ordered the children to be sold to satisfy the remaining balance.

Fortunately, no captain volunteered to transport the youngsters, and the forced sale never materialized. Instead, the family was expelled from Salem; the parents soon died, leaving the children to fend for themselves in exile.

1 Europe Had To Intervene To Save The Quakers

American colonies never voluntarily ceased their persecution of Quakers. The turning point arrived when John Bowne, a New Netherlands resident, was arrested for sheltering a Quaker in his home.

Bowne refused to pay the imposed fine or submit to local trial, demanding instead to be tried in Holland. The colonial governor, lacking authority to defy the Dutch crown, released Bowne and sent his complaint across the Atlantic.

Bowne’s testimony shocked the European courts, prompting them to order New Netherlands officials to end Quaker persecution. A similar decree followed from the English government in 1689, finally mandating religious tolerance throughout the colonies.

The role of the First Lady is a one‑of‑a‑kind gig. Every woman who’s slipped into this unofficial office has left her own imprint—whether she’s throwing lavish parties, calling press briefings, championing social causes, or quietly nudging presidents behind the curtains. Yet many of their most eyebrow‑raising moments remain tucked away. From riding a bicycle in a Chinese war zone to summoning spirits in the Red Room, and even being hinted at in murder mysteries, here are the top 10 surprising stories that make these ladies truly unforgettable.

Top 10 Surprising Highlights

10 Dolley Madison Had An Honorary Seat In Congress

Dolley Madison crafted the prototype for the modern First Lady, dazzling guests and tackling public concerns with poise. She campaigned alongside her husband, threw soirées with the single President Thomas Jefferson, helped fund the Lewis and Clark expedition, and famously rescued George Washington’s portrait as the British torched Washington, D.C., in 1814. She also holds the quirky distinction of being the first private citizen to dispatch a telegraph message.

In an astonishing twist, the 1840s saw Dolley granted an honorary seat on the House floor—an unprecedented privilege for a woman before suffrage existed. She could stroll into debates whenever she pleased, listening to lawmakers hash out policy. Today, only elected officials, their staff, and the President and Vice President may set foot on that hallowed ground. Congress even rallied around her later: after James Madison’s death in 1836, they paid her to publish his papers; when she fell into poverty a dozen years later, they awarded her the modern equivalent of over $700,000 to acquire more of his manuscripts. President Zachary Taylor is credited with coining the phrase “First Lady” in his eulogy for her, though the alternative “Presidentress” briefly flirted with popularity without sticking.

9 Lou Hoover Patrolled Her Home In China During The Boxer Rebellion

Lou Hoover was a whirlwind of energy—an avid horse rider, roller‑skater, nature lover, and polyglot fluent in five languages. After marrying geology classmate Herbert Hoover in 1899, the couple set sail for China. There, Lou quickly mastered Mandarin, a secret tongue the Hoovers would later use to converse privately in front of White House guests.

When the Boxer Rebellion erupted in 1900, targeting foreigners, Lou didn’t stay behind a desk. She tended to gunshot wounds, erected barricades, and rode her bicycle armed with a pistol, patrolling alongside Western troops. Later, she coordinated aid for refugees in London during World War I, championed Belgium’s cause, and helped launch the American Red Cross Canteen Escort Service to ferry wounded soldiers home. Her lifelong devotion to humanitarian work also saw her help found the Girl Scouts, while during the Great Depression she delivered regular radio broadcasts to keep the nation informed.

8 Mary Todd Lincoln Held Seances In The White House

After the Civil War’s staggering death toll—about three‑quarters of a million souls—grief ran rampant across the nation. Spiritualism surged, especially among the elite, promising contact with the departed. Mary Todd Lincoln suffered a cascade of personal losses: her mother, three children, and finally her husband. The death of her son Willie in 1862, at just eleven years old from typhoid fever, broke her heart most profoundly. President Lincoln honored Willie with a black ribbon on his hat, a somber reminder until his own assassination.

Desperate for solace, Mary enlisted the services of a group of mediums known as the Lauries, hoping to converse with Willie. She even hosted séances in the White House’s Red Room, with President Lincoln occasionally in attendance. In letters, she described nightly visits from Willie’s spirit, noting his familiar smile and comforting presence. She also consulted a spiritual photographer who claimed to capture a ghostly silhouette of Abraham Lincoln hovering over her. To this day, rumors persist that the spirits of Willie, his brother Eddie, and President Lincoln still linger within the White House walls.

7 Lucretia Garfield Nursed Her Husband Back To Health After An Assassination Attempt

The marriage of Lucretia and James Garfield was anything but a romantic fairy tale. James’ diaries reveal he found Lucretia dull, and she endured his infidelities, suspecting that duty rather than love motivated their union. Their early years saw them apart—he in the Union army, she managing family affairs. Yet adversity drew them closer. In 1881, Lucretia contracted a severe bout of malaria that nearly claimed her life, prompting James to shoulder more childcare responsibilities.

After a brief recovery, Lucretia traveled to the Jersey shore for fresh air, unaware that assassin Charles Guiteau was lying in wait at the train station, intending to kill President Garfield. Guiteau hesitated upon seeing Lucretia’s frail condition, fearing the trauma of witnessing a murder. Nevertheless, on July 2nd, Guiteau shot James. Lucretia rushed back to Washington, nursing her husband despite her own lingering illness. When James ultimately succumbed in September, she displayed stoic bravery. After his death, Congress attempted to double the pay of his male physician while offering less to the female doctor; Lucretia intervened, ensuring both doctors received equal $1,000 stipends.

6 Florence Harding Was Accused Of Murder

President Warren Harding’s untimely demise shocked the nation. At 58, he seemed vigorous, traveling the country on his “Voyage of Understanding.” While in Alaska, he grew exhausted and disoriented, fainting repeatedly on the return trip. Three days later, on August 2, 1923, he passed away in a San Francisco hotel while his wife, Florence, read to him. She told physicians he suffered a convulsion before death.

Speculation swirled: some blamed spoiled crab meat, others diagnosed severe pneumonia, and eventually a stroke was cited. Yet Florence’s behavior raised eyebrows—she embalmed him immediately, refused an autopsy, and destroyed numerous papers. A year after her husband’s death, retired FBI agent Gaston Means published a sensational book accusing Florence of murder to shield Harding’s legacy from scandal. The book proved largely fabricated; modern consensus points to a heart attack as the cause.

Top 10 Faux Pas Committed By US Presidents

5 Eleanor Roosevelt Forced Newspapers To Hire Female Reporters (And May Have Had An Affair With One)

Eleanor Roosevelt remains one of America’s most celebrated First Ladies and a towering advocate for women’s rights. Among her lesser‑known tactics, she demanded that only women be permitted into her press conferences. This bold move forced newspapers eager for access to hire female reporters, thereby opening doors for women in journalism across the nation. Throughout Franklin D. Roosevelt’s twelve‑year administration, she hosted 348 press events, initially focusing on domestic topics before expanding to deep political discussions and inviting notable guests, such as Soong Mei‑ling, wife of Chinese leader Chiang Kai‑shek.

One of those female journalists, Lorena Hickok, formed an especially close bond with Eleanor. Assigned to cover the First Lady in 1932, Hickok eventually moved into a suite next to Eleanor’s office. Their correspondence exploded with intimacy—Hickok once wrote, “I want to put my arms around you and kiss you at the corner of your mouth,” and Eleanor replied, “I ache to hold you close… Your ring comforts me, for I know you love me, or I would not wear it.” Their relationship endured throughout Eleanor’s life, hinting at a profound personal connection beyond professional collaboration.

4 Elizabeth Monroe Saved Lafayette’s Wife From Execution

Elizabeth Monroe wed future President James Monroe at the tender age of seventeen in 1786. After years of domestic life in Virginia, the couple accompanied James on diplomatic missions, landing in Paris in 1794 as the United States Minister to France during the tumult of the French Revolution. There, Elizabeth embraced European fashion and etiquette, earning the moniker “la belle Americaine” for her charm and elegance.

When the Revolution turned violent, the wife of the heroic Marquis de Lafayette—Adrienne de Noailles—found herself imprisoned and threatened with the guillotine. Elizabeth seized the initiative, insisting on a personal visit to the prison. Her bold, unofficial intervention signaled that the fledgling United States would not tolerate harm to Lafayette’s family. The visit proved decisive: Adrienne was ultimately released, sparing her from execution and cementing Elizabeth’s reputation as a diplomatic heroine.

3 Edith Bolling Wilson Ran The Country And Was Descended From Pocahontas

Edith Wilson stands out not only for her distinguished lineage—she was the great‑great‑great‑great‑great‑great‑great‑granddaughter of Pocahontas, making her a direct descendant of the famed Native American figure—but also for the remarkable authority she wielded behind the scenes. Born into a once‑prominent Virginia family that fell into poverty after the Civil War, Edith’s early life was marked by social exclusion. She proudly highlighted her Pocahontas ancestry as a conversation starter, turning a genealogical footnote into a personal brand.

Her true political influence emerged after marrying President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. As World War I erupted, she gained access to classified war documents and served as an informal advisor in high‑level meetings. When Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke in 1919, Edith deftly managed the flow of information, telling the public her husband merely needed rest. She reviewed every memo, added her own notes, and even dismissed the Secretary of State for convening a cabinet meeting without Wilson’s approval. She also ordered the British ambassador to leave after he refused to fire a staffer who made a vulgar joke about her. For seventeen months, Edith effectively ran the executive branch, though she publicly insisted she never made presidential decisions.

2 Anna Harrison’s Packed Bags Never Made It

Anna Symmes first met William Henry Harrison during a visit to her sister in Kentucky, sparking an instant connection. Her father initially opposed the match because William, a career soldier, lacked a trade, but after a secret 1795 wedding, he relented. Anna quickly became a mother to ten children, raising them on the Indiana frontier while drawing on her coastal‑elite upbringing for education and refinement.

When William secured the presidency in 1840, Anna was still recovering from an illness and could not immediately join him in the capital. Their daughter‑in‑law, Jane Harrison, stepped in as acting hostess while Anna prepared for the journey. Tragically, before Anna could finish packing, President Harrison fell ill and died of pneumonia in April 1841, after just one month in office—the shortest presidential term ever. Congress granted Anna a pension equal to the president’s salary, and she lived on until age 88, witnessing the nation’s growth from the sidelines.

1 Mary Arthur McElroy Was An Anti‑Suffragette

After President Chester A. Arthur ascended to the White House following Garfield’s assassination, his beloved wife Ellen had already passed away in 1880. In her stead, Arthur’s younger sister, Mary Arthur McElroy, stepped forward during the “busy season” to serve as the official hostess, though she never received the formal title of First Lady. Her warm demeanor and adept event planning earned her acclaim among Washington’s social circles.

However, when the “off‑season” arrived and Mary returned to Albany, New York, she aligned herself with the Albany Association Opposed to Women’s Suffrage. This organization, active in the 1890s and again in 1915‑1917, championed the belief that women’s best contributions were within the home. Their pamphlets proclaimed, “There are still women enough left outside of the clique of female agitators, who believe that woman can always do her best work at home.” Suffragists retorted, “If a woman can always do her best work at home, why does the Anti‑Suffrage Association send Mrs. CranneI to conduct a political campaign hundreds of miles away from Albany?” The movement ultimately dissolved with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote.

Top 10 Costly US Presidential Campaign Blunders

Cemeteries are spooky places. It doesn’t matter how old they are. There’s just something unsettling about the presence of dead bodies and ghostly gravestones. Of course, the United States is a young country, relatively speaking. Graveyards across Europe and Asia are often centuries older than those in America. Tales of the people buried on those sites are practically ancient. Stories about their rumored spirits have been handed down for generations.

While the U.S. doesn’t have quite as long of a history, it does boast its own ancient afterlife. And the burial grounds that go along with it are fascinating. Historians across America study old cemeteries to learn about the past. The stories they’ve unearthed are both unsettling and amazing. In this list, you’ll learn about ten of America’s oldest graveyards and the supposed spirits who stay within. These centuries-old cemeteries are seriously spooky!

10 NYC’s Old Gravesend Cemetery

New York City has a very long history. It’s also a modern-day travel destination and business hub. So you wouldn’t be wrong to think much of the historic Big Apple has been paved over and renovated. But not everything in NYC is moving forward. In fact, there are quite a few old cemeteries scattered across its boroughs. The city’s first Dutch settlers are buried in graveyards that date back to the 17th century.

The Old Gravesend Cemetery in Brooklyn is one of the oldest of those. The area around it was first established in 1643. The first mention of Old Gravesend itself was in a will dated 1658. So while the cemetery’s founding date isn’t precisely known, it likely came about in the 1640s. In total, there are 379 gravestones at the site. City officials have been working on renovating the stones. Upkeep is costly, but the history that comes with it is immeasurable.

The cemetery’s most famous resident is (probably) Lady Deborah Moody. She was the surrounding settlement’s founder and first settler. In fact, she was the first woman to establish a community of Dutch immigrants in all of New England. Well off during her life, Moody originally left Holland to settle in Massachusetts. But once there, she clashed with the Puritans. They didn’t like her belief in adult baptism. And her work to convert people was viewed as unseemly. So they cast her out, and she traveled down to New York.

At the time, the area was known as New Amsterdam and had a heavily Dutch population. Moody fit right in and settled in the Gravesend area of modern-day Brooklyn. But as well known as she was at the time, it’s unclear whether Moody is buried in the graveyard in her adopted home. It’s probable, but historians have no definitive proof of her burial there. Considering the age of the burial ground, it’s likely that the mystery will never be solved.^[1]

9 Boston’s Granary Burying Ground

Much like New York City, Boston’s bustle is forever moving forward. And much like New York City, Boston has its own incredible past. The Massachusetts city is full of old cemeteries, just like others up and down the Eastern Seaboard too. In Boston, one of the oldest is the Granary Burying Ground. That name was officially christened in 1737, but the cemetery site was around nearly a full century earlier. For over 200 years, until the 1880s, notable Bostonians were buried in the Granary Ground. In total, about 5,000 people were laid to rest on the site. Not all the grave markers have lasted the test of time, though. Today, officials estimate about 2,300 stones are still in order.

The disheveled history of those headstones took an interesting turn in the 1800s. In the middle of that century, Bostonians were frustrated with the disorder of the grounds. So, they set about a years-long project to rearrange and set right thousands of headstones. Some were moved and misplaced. Others were accidentally destroyed in the clean-up.

Today, the site is far more orderly. However, it’s unclear whether every headstone is actually in its original spot. Nevertheless, the Granary Burying Ground keeps on playing the hits. Paths inside the cemetery take scores of visitors on an incredible tour. Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Crispus Attucks are all buried in the cemetery. American history truly rests in the Granary Burying Ground.^[2]

8 Texas’s Ernest Witte Site

New York and Boston hold historic cemeteries, but they aren’t the only ancient graveyards in America. In fact, there are far older burial grounds scattered elsewhere across the U.S. And the oldest of them all can be found in Texas, of all places! In the 1970s, historians found an ancient Brazos River burial ground. Today, it is known as the Ernest Witte Site.

Archaeological evidence suggests the area was first used as a cemetery nearly 5,000 years ago. Scientists believe the final burials there happened around AD 1500. Some of these fossils were buried with primitive stone tools. More recent burials came with the presence of shell jewelry, carved stone knives, and animal skulls. The site is now a treasure trove of archaeological information about life in pre-contact America.

The story behind the burial site’s name is its own fascinating tale. Ernest Witte was a young boy growing up in rural Texas in the 1930s. One day, in the middle of the Great Depression, Witte and his brother were rooting around an area near the Brazos River. Accidentally, they uncovered some fossils. Not knowing what they found, they kept digging. Slowly but surely, they uncovered more ancient artifacts. But here’s where it gets really crazy: The brothers never told anyone about it!

For decades, Ernest kept the site a secret. Finally, in 1974, he reached out to the Texas Archaeological Survey. Shocked scientists flocked to the site and began digging. They’ve since found the remains of roughly 250 people at the site. The historical value has been immense. But it was nearly lost to history forever!^[3]

7 West Virginia’s Grave Creek Mound

West Virginia boasts its own ancient burial site. Grave Creek Mound sits in the far north part of the state, close to the Ohio border. The nearby town of Moundsville is named for it. And if you haven’t already guessed by now, the burial site is one big mound. There’s more to it than that, though.

Archaeologists have determined the graves contained within date back to about 250 BC. They are the graves of members of the local Adena tribe. When the culture was thriving, the Adena buried their dead in these raised mounds. The sheer size of the Grave Creek Mound is stunning. Scientists believe tribe members moved nearly 57,000 tons of soil to create the hill. The Adena also built smaller mounds set near the large earthen dome. In those, they placed meaningful trinkets and mementos like jewelry and religious items. For centuries, the site was their solemn way to honor the dead.

Sadly, looters got to Grave Creek Mound before archaeologists did. While science has preserved many things from the dirt structure, many more have been lost to history. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, looters raided the smaller mounds. They took trinkets, sea shells, ivory beads, copper bracelets, and other things that had been left centuries before. Thankfully, some items remained. Plus, layers of burials within the mound itself gave archaeologists plenty to learn.

Today, historians have been able to piece together a lot about the Adena despite these setbacks. But much of the mound’s earthly items remain a mystery. Researchers wonder what they missed out on after decades of grave robberies.^[4]

6 New Orleans’ St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 may be the most memorable graveyard on this list. It’s a striking sight to see. Rows of above-ground tombs dot the tightly-packed cemetery. It is full of historic New Orleans flavor and mystery. Stories of haunted spirits and rumors of ghastly ghosts abound. The cemetery isn’t the oldest in New Orleans, but it’s close. It was first built way back in 1789. A series of fires and a brutal epidemic had just ravaged the Big Easy. City officials were worried existing cemeteries couldn’t hold all the dead. So, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 was created.

At first, the dead were actually buried underground. But in 1803, New Orleans levied a law ordering all new burials must be done above ground. Since its founding, the low-lying city has been subjected to waves of flooding. Having a bunch of human remains wash up was fast becoming a public health nightmare. And so the tradition of the raised tombs began.

Just like Old Gravesend in NYC, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 has a notable soul inside. Marie Laveau was born in New Orleans in 1801 to a Creole mother. As an adult, she worked in town as a hairdresser. But she was far more famous in the region for her side gig as a voodoo priestess. People in New Orleans swore by the spells she cast and the mystical powers she supposedly held.

Before she died in 1881, Marie was a local legend. When she was buried in St. Louis Cemetery, locals still tried to seek favor from her spirit. For decades after, mourners came to the graveyard to visit her tomb. Once there, they would paint large Xs on the tomb door. The city made the practice illegal, but that didn’t stop the superstition. Even today, Laveau’s legend lives on.^[5]

5 Providence’s North Burial Ground

The North Burial Ground has been in Providence, Rhode Island, since about 1700. Long before America was a nation, settlers came to Rhode Island. On the north side of its historic urban center, planners set aside 45 acres for a cemetery. One of the first burials was that of a prominent settler named Samuel Whipple. Over the next few years, many more locals followed. Eventually, the North Burial Ground became the place to lay the city’s elite leaders and residents to rest.

Over the next century, Providence consolidated other burial grounds. Historically, well-to-do families buried their dead on their own plots of land. But as Providence grew, that custom became inefficient. So in 1785, the city’s elite residents exhumed the bodies of many of their ancestors and elders. All the remains were carefully carted away and re-buried in the North Burial Ground. In the decades after, many more prominent citizens were laid to rest in the cemetery. Since then, the graveyard has undergone many renovations. Further grave relocations have swept in too. In the 1980s, the city even (briefly) lost a headstone after a car accident ran aground in a corner of the cemetery.

Over the years, many high-profile people have been buried within. Veterans of both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War rest there. More recently, famous Americans like pioneering outdoorswoman Annie Smith Peck and early goth poet Sarah Helen Whitman are buried there too. And today, the North Burial Ground still accepts new burials. That is rare for a 300-year-old cemetery! But the site is still active. It takes in about 200 sets of remains every year. And every year, newly-deceased Providence residents add their own life stories to the hallowed ground.^[6]

4 Salem’s Charter Street Cemetery

Whenever one says “Salem,” the implication is clear: witchcraft. The Massachusetts town was famously the supposed center of witchcraft in the 17th century. But the city has ghost stories far older than that! In fact, Salem’s Charter Street Cemetery predates the witch trials by more than six decades. The burial ground, which is known to locals as Old Burying Point, was first mentioned in written documents in 1637. Historians now think the context of that reference indicates it was around long before that. So while its founding year is unclear, this analysis suggests Old Burying Point is the oldest European cemetery in America.

The oldest surviving headstone on site belongs to a woman named Doraty Cromwell. She died in Salem in 1673. That her gravestone has survived this long is a miracle. Early American memorials were usually made out of wood. Thus, most haven’t survived centuries of winter snow, spring rain, and summer sun. Before Cromwell, it’s impossible to know who else was laid to rest at Old Burying Point. Thankfully for genealogists, grave markers have long since switched to stone.

Historians do know one thing, though: Salem’s supposed witches were not buried at the Charter Street Cemetery. They were put on trial very close by in 1692. And Old Burying Point was already well-established as the city’s cemetery by then. But those found guilty of practicing witchcraft wouldn’t have been given a public burial in an esteemed location. It’s far more likely they were buried secretly by sympathetic family members. If no one stepped up, these accused witches were thrown into unmarked graves near their trial sites. For them, a well-regarded rest at Old Burying Point was never in the cards.^[7]

3 New Mexico’s San Esteban del Rey Mission Church

Decades before American colonists kicked off their anti-British rumblings back east, Spanish explorers were making their way through the southwest. In 1629, they founded the San Estévan del Rey Mission in what is now western New Mexico. Back then, the land belonged to the Acoma Pueblo people. The Spanish intended for the mission to bring Catholicism to the natives. Part of the Spaniards’ hopes centered on the afterlife: They wanted indigenous people to follow the church’s burial customs. For decades, the Spanish tried to attract the Acoma Pueblo to their lifestyle. The visitors had some success until the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Then, for two decades, the natives took control of the mission and mostly shut down the Spanish incursion.

As for the cemetery on site, its creation is a story unto itself. The area sits on a mesa of bare rock with little topsoil. Opportunities for agriculture are sparse and limited. Even worse, in-ground burial is next to impossible. The Spanish solved this by forcing natives to carry tons of soil up the rocks to spread on top. Once the covered area was deep enough, it was packed down. Then, Spanish settlers could adequately bury their dead at the mission.

Today, the cemetery consists of five of these levels. Some reach 50 feet (15 meters) above what used to be the natural rocky ground. Different settlers and natives throughout history are buried there. The Acoma people got their way in the end too. Even though the mission is of Catholic origin, locals managed to sneak in a few of their traditions over the centuries.

Today, mission visitors can see sculpted faces inside the cemetery’s walls. These are guardians that carry native spirits safely into the afterlife. One section of the graveyard wall also has a large hole. There, spirits are said to freely leave the site to take on eternal existence after death.^[8]

2 NYC’s African Burial Ground

For nearly two centuries, New York City had a little-known cemetery meant for Black residents. Both enslaved and free Black people were buried there as early as the 1630s. The ground was active until about 1800. Then, the city stopped using it. Eventually, it was paved over and repurposed. For nearly 200 years, it was forgotten. Then, in 1991, construction began on a new officer tower along Broadway Avenue. As the ground underwent excavation, mass graves were found. Suddenly, the construction project became a critical preservation scene.

Archaeologists rushed in and supervised the work. Further excavations found the graveyard covered more than six acres of space. Shocked at the discovery, historians termed it the African Burial Ground. Notable Black people are thought to be buried there. That list likely includes Juan Rodrigues, the first free Black man in Manhattan, who arrived in the city in 1613.

Judging by the size of the area, historians estimate more than 15,000 people were laid to rest there. The remains include the first generations of slaves transported against their will to America. Today, it is the earliest known African cemetery in the United States. Thankfully, by 2003, all the excavated remains were placed in hand-carved coffins and properly reinterred.^[9]

1 Massachusetts’s Myles Standish Burial Ground

The Myles Standish Burial Ground calls itself the oldest “maintained” cemetery in the United States. As we’ve already seen with some dubious dates on this list, that may be up for debate. But there’s no question this cemetery is very old. It appears to have been first established as early as 1638. Its location in the Massachusetts city of Duxbury has historical meaning too. The area is close to where the Mayflower first made land from England early in the 17th century. So it should be no surprise to learn that many of the Mayflower’s notable pioneering passengers are buried there.

Other notable burials include he for whom the cemetery is named. Military commander Myles Standish was buried in it after he died near Duxbury in 1656. The man who played such a key role in protecting the Pilgrims during their early years in America is forever honored in the graveyard. In fact, his body has since been exhumed (twice!) to be honored with more significant memorials.

In addition to Standish, the site hosts many old Pilgrim grave markers. They include some fascinating examples of historic Puritan imagery. As a group, they were obsessed with mortality. And boy, do their gravestones show it. Gravestone designs of unsettling angels, smiling death’s heads, spooky skulls, and outlined coffins all confront modern visitors. Creepy!^[10]

+ Bonus: Cahokia

You didn’t think we forgot about Cahokia, did you? While grave mounds in West Virginia and New Mexico made this list, they don’t compare to the most iconic of all. Centuries ago, southern Illinois’s Cahokia was the largest settlement in America. The sprawling indigenous city had everything. At its peak from about 600 to 1350, more than 15,000 people lived there.

Cahokia had large residential neighborhoods, open spaces for events, large marketplaces, and even a permanent agricultural area. It also had a series of notable grave mounds. Today, historians believe the man-made hills were used for several purposes. Burying the dead was foremost among them, of course. But Cahokia residents also held religious ceremonies on the mounds and worshiped native gods from the top.

Today, the biggest of these hills is known as Mound 72. Archaeologists have been working on that site since the 1960s. Over the years, they have preserved the remains of more than 270 people. Some were interred in mass graves. Others were given more ornate burials. Those buried in the most shallow graves appear to show signs of violent death.

Interestingly, scientists believe those are also the most recent burials, dating to roughly 1300. Considering Cahokia was abandoned at some point in the 14th century, archaeologists think these burial mound findings point to a violent regional war that broke up the big city.^[11]