1

Paul Bunyan

Image: Abby Savage

Paul Bunyan , the colossal lumberjack of American folklore, is said to have cleared forests from the Northeast to the Pacific Northwest. With his blue ox, Babe , he performed incredible feats of strength, like carving out the Grand Canyon just by dragging his axe behind him, and creating the Great Lakes with his footprints.

Originating in oral traditions among lumberjacks, Bunyan’s exaggerated exploits gained momentum with the American westward expansion during the 19th century and soon became deeply ingrained in the popular imagination.

2

Johnny Appleseed

Image: Aarón Blanco Tejedor

Born John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed wandered the American frontier planting apple trees and spreading goodwill in the early 19th century. A devout Christian, he became a folk hero for his kindness, environmentalism, and pioneering spirit.

Contrary to the popular image of Johnny Appleseed randomly scattering apple seeds, he was a skilled nurseryman who meticulously planted apple tree nurseries. Each nursery was carefully fenced to shield the saplings from livestock and wildlife. After establishing these nurseries, he entrusted them to neighbors but revisited them periodically.

3

Pecos Bill

Image: JosephHershMedia

Pecos Bill , a fictional cowboy raised by coyotes in the wilds of Texas, became a larger-than-life figure known for taming cyclones and roping tornadoes. His adventures, first popularized in the early 20th century, embody the frontier spirit and Texas mythology, blending humor with tales of rugged individualism.

Among his many tales, one credits him with creating the Gulf of Mexico . According to legend, during a severe drought in Texas, Pecos Bill lassoed a storm cloud in California and brought it to Texas. The resulting deluge caused extensive flooding, ultimately forming the Gulf.

4

Davy Crockett

Image: Joseph Corl

Davy Crockett , known as the "King of the Wild Frontier," was a real-life frontiersman later turned politician whose exploits were mythologized even during his lifetime. Born in East Tennessee, he quickly gained fame for his sharp hunting skills and captivating storytelling.

During his time in the U.S. Congress, he staunchly opposed many of President Andrew Jackson’s policies, particularly the Indian Removal Act, and championed the rights of small landowners. Crockett’s life ended with valor at the Battle of the Alamo , solidifying his folk legend as a symbol of courage and patriotism. His legacy remains an enduring part of American history.

5

Calamity Jane

Image: Vidar Nordli-Mathisen

Martha Jane Canary, better known by her alias Calamity Jane, was a frontierswoman and scout famed for her sharpshooting skills and daredevil exploits. During her youth, she stepped up to provide for her large family, taking on various jobs, from ox team driver to scout for Fort Russell. Eventually, she embraced the rough and adventurous lifestyle that made her a legend.

Despite her fearsome reputation, Calamity Jane was compassionate and often helped those in need. Her adventures in the Wild West alongside figures like Wild Bill Hickok cemented her status as a legend of the American frontier.

6

Molly Pitcher

Image: Garry T

Molly Pitcher, the nickname given to Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley, became famous for her bravery during the American Revolutionary War. Although several historical figures are known by this moniker for similar deeds, Mary Ludwig Hays distinguished herself during the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778, where she served as a water carrier for the soldiers.

When her husband, an artilleryman in the Continental Army, fell to enemy fire, she took his place, swabbing and loading the cannon with such bravery and determination that she earned a commendation from George Washington.

7

Daniel Boone

Image: Scott Longerbeam

Daniel Boone was a legendary frontiersman and explorer who blazed trails through the Appalachian Mountains and into Kentucky. Born in 1734, Boone became famous for his expert hunting and survival skills, as well as his role in establishing the Wilderness Road, a trail that facilitated westward migration through the Cumberland Gap.

After serving as a militia officer during the Revolutionary War, he was briefly taken in by the Shawnees in the Northeastern Woodlands. After a few years, he returned and continued to help protect the Kentucky settlements.

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Buffalo Bill

Image: Judy Beth Morris

William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a legendary figure of the American West, known for his Wild West shows that toured the United States and Europe. Born in 1846, Cody was a skilled buffalo hunter, Army scout, and showman who brought cowboy skills and frontier life to audiences worldwide.

He earned his nickname after the Civil War by providing Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with buffalo meat, hunting record numbers of the animal. He even engaged in hunting competitions with his partner, Bill Comstock. His legendary figure has been frequently portrayed in film and television, especially during the height of the Western genre in the 1960s.

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Wild Bill Hickok

Image: Pablò

James Butler Hickok, famously known as Wild Bill Hickok, was a legendary figure of the American Old West. Born in 1837, Hickok gained fame as a skilled marksman, gambler, and lawman.

Though his exploits were certainly exaggerated by the outlandish tales he told about himself, he was involved in several notorious gunfights during his life. Most notably, he dueled with Davis Tutt, a local gambler with whom he had various disagreements, particularly over their mutual affection for the same woman.

10

John Henry

Image: Lucio Patone

John Henry was a legendary steel-driving man whose man-against-machine tale epitomized the strength and resilience of the American worker. An African American freedman, his dangerous job involved hammering steel drills into rocks to create holes for explosives used to blast open railroad tunnels.

According to the legend, John Henry's prowess was tested in a race against a steam-powered drill. He won the race but tragically died after victory, hammer in hand when his heart gave out from the immense physical stress.

1

His first home

Image: Lucija Ros

Elias and Flora were the parents of the iconic Walt Disney. But beyond raising one of the world's most famous entrepreneurs, they also had several talents and skills, thanks to which they could build their house with their own hands.

Determined to create their home, Elias obtained a permit in 1892 to build a two-story, 18 x 28-foot wooden cottage for $800. Flora was in charge of designing and drawing the plans, and Elias was responsible for every aspect of construction.

Nine years later, on December 5, 1901, Walt Disney was born on the second floor of that house.

2

His birth name

Image: Heike Mintel

But his parents didn't just give him a home; they also gave him a name . While we all know him as "Walt Disney", his full birth name was quite different.

Walt Disney was born Walter Elias Disney, inheriting his father's name as a middle name. Although he never officially changed his ID, he was most famously known by his diminutive , "Walt," which he had been called since childhood.

It didn’t take long for little Walter to begin showing an interest and talent in one of the artistic forms that would lead him to success: drawing.

3

Another name

Image: Steven Beyer

Speaking of names, let's take a look at Mickey Mouse.

Although "Mickey" and "Mouse" are inseparable for everyone today, this famous character was originally called something completely different when he was first created. Believe it or not, the rodent was originally named "Mortimer."

And guess who suggested the new name? Lillian, Walt Disney's wife. When Lillian first heard the name of the cute cartoon character, she felt it sounded too solemn. Instead, she suggested "Mickey," and thankfully, they decided to take her advice!

4

The voice

Image: kaleb tapp

The voice behind the lovable little mouse was none other than Walt Disney. That's right! He brought Mickey Mouse to life with his own voice from his creation in 1928 all the way until 1947. That's almost 20 years giving one of the world's most famous cartoons not only a voice but also a personality. So now you know: when you watch a Mickey movie from those years, you're hearing the voice of his very own creator!

After 1947, other actors took over the role of voicing Mickey, and they've done a great job. But it's always special to remember Walt was the first to take on that job.

5

A special character

Image: Marko Blažević

Besides Mickey, another character held a special place in Walt Disney's heart: the legendary Peter Pan, "the boy who never grew up."

As a young boy on his way to school, Walt Disney noticed posters for a theater company coming to Marceline, Missouri, to perform Peter Pan . Excited by the chance to see the play, the future animation legend got tickets and went with one of his brothers. But that's not all: shortly after, Walt was chosen to play Peter Pan himself in a school play!

Disney told this story himself, highlighting how much Peter Pan meant to him throughout his life. In 1953, he brought Peter Pan to the big screen, allowing thousands of children around the world to discover the magical world of Neverland!

6

High school dropout

Image: Khyta

In 1917, when Walt Disney turned 16, he decided to leave high school and try to join the army. But his plan did not succeed: he was too young to enlist and wasn't accepted. However, his brave spirit was stronger, so he joined the Red Cross to work with them in Europe.

In 1918, he was sent to France as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross, a role he performed for a couple of months. And there's one detail that highlights Walt Disney's passion. It's said that the inside of his ambulance was decorated with dozens of cartoons he had drawn himself!

7

Previous job

Image: JJ Ying

Walt Disney's passion for drawing was clear from his childhood, staying with him through his teenage years and adulthood.

After returning from France at the age of 18, Disney got a job as a commercial illustrator in Kansas City. The story goes that he ran to his aunt, exclaiming, "Aunt! They're paying me for drawing!" In that position, he created advertisements for newspapers, magazines, and posters. Shortly after, he discovered the world of animation.

There's no doubt that this job played an important role in helping Walt Disney eventually establish his own animation and production company.

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Secret apartment

Image: Aubrey Odom

We could safely say that Disneyland is, without a doubt, a magical place filled with surprises.

But beyond the incredible attractions, such as exciting rides, parades, enchanting shows, and adored characters, there are also some hidden details that often go unnoticed. For example, the fact that Walt had a secret apartment in Disneyland, where he worked and spent time with his loved ones, managing and enjoying the park.

The apartment is still there, and while it's not open to the public, you can pass by and see a lamp that's kept lit as a symbol of Walt Disney's eternal presence in the hearts of many.

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Train enthusiast

Image: Mike Bergmann

Walt Disney was a multifaceted man, so drawing and animation were just a part of his many passions.

It turns out that the entrepreneur also had a love for trains that began in his childhood. Along with using trains for transportation and collecting model trains, he built a miniature railroad in his backyard where guests could enjoy short and fun rides! He named it the Carolwood Pacific Railroad.

As you might guess, this interest also influenced the design of Disneyland, where the railroad is one of the main features.

10

His favorite song

Image: Guillaume de Germain

One of the things that had a special place in the heart of Walt Disney was his favorite song. Want to know what it was?

Rumor has it that his favorite song comes from one of Disney's most enchanting films: Mary Poppins . Composed in 1964 specifically for the movie, the song "Feed the Birds" had a unique meaning for him.

Its complexity and emotional depth moved him deeply, as the song highlights the importance of being kind and respectful to others. If you haven't listened to it yet or need a refresher to remember the melody, go ahead; you won't regret it!

1

He served hot dogs to British Royalty

In 1939, for the first time ever, a sitting US president hosted the reigning British monarchs on American soil. And it wasn’t just a formal state meeting; it was a picnic.

On June 11 of that year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt welcomed King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to their home in Hyde Park, New York. Instead of an elaborate diplomatic banquet, the menu was unexpectedly simple and quintessentially American: hot dogs and beer. According to FDR, the queen politely tried hers with a knife and fork, while the king ate several with his hands and seemed to enjoy them. Behind the scenes, the visit was more than symbolic, yet folksy hospitality. With war already looming in Europe, both sides were quietly strengthening ties that would soon become crucial during WWII.

2

The first sitting president to fly on a plane

While FDR made history in many ways, one of his lesser-known firsts took place thousands of feet above the ground.

On January 11, 1943, in the middle of WWII, he became the first sitting US president to fly in an airplane. At a time when air travel was still far from routine, he embarked on a secret 7,000-mile journey from Miami, Florida, to Bathurst, Gambia, before continuing to Casablanca, Morocco. The trip wasn't taken for leisure; German U-boats had made Atlantic sea travel risky, so Roosevelt crossed the ocean aboard a Boeing 314 flying boat known as the Dixie Clipper . His destination was the Casablanca Conference, where he met with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to discuss wartime strategy.

3

Highly superstitious

Are you the type to knock on wood to avoid bad luck? Or would you walk under a ladder without a second thought? If you're in the first group, you would have fit right in with Franklin D. Roosevelt.

FDR famously declared that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," but he also had a surprisingly superstitious side. According to people who worked with him in the White House, Roosevelt kept his desk and personal items arranged in a precise order that he believed brought good luck. He also disliked the number 13: family members and aides recalled that he avoided hosting dinners with 13 guests and was reluctant to begin important trips on Friday the 13th. He even had a lucky charm, a brown felt fedora that he wore during all four of his presidential campaigns. We can't say it didn't work.

4

He loved practical jokes

With all his responsibilities, talents, and interests, FDR still found time to joke around.

According to his biographers, Roosevelt loved practical jokes and kept his playful streak throughout his life, even pulling pranks well into his presidency. In the tense world of politics, that sense of humor became one of his trademarks. He enjoyed classic gags, including putting bubbling powder in drinking glasses to surprise White House guests, or slipping completely made-up words into conversations and then watching with delight as his staff scrambled to check the dictionary. Friends and aides also noted that he had a unique ability to laugh off rumors, criticism, and political attacks that might have rattled other leaders.

5

Peculiar work schedules

Jokes didn't distract FDR from his work. If anything, they helped him cope, and he certainly had plenty of work to do. In fact, Roosevelt was known for his unusual working hours.

Unlike many other presidents who were early risers, he often worked late into the night and typically didn't begin his day until around 9 am. During WWII, while overseeing a global conflict, he regularly spent his evenings reviewing reports, making decisions, and meeting with advisers long after most Americans had gone to bed. What makes this even more impressive is that he maintained this pace as his health steadily declined. Doctors urged him to slow down and limit his workload, but Roosevelt frequently ignored that advice. For a wartime commander-in-chief, there was always one more decision to make.

6

He appointed the first female cabinet member

Among his many historic firsts, FDR was the inaugural POTUS to appoint a woman to a Cabinet position, a decision that reflected both his political instincts and his willingness to recognize talent and intelligence where he found it.

In 1933, he chose labor advocate Frances Perkins as Secretary of Labor. It turned out to be one of the most consequential appointments of his presidency. Perkins served from 1933 to 1945, making her the longest-serving Secretary of Labor in American history. And as if that weren't enough, she became one of the chief designers of the New Deal.

7

11 presidential relatives

Most people know that Franklin D. Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt were related: the 32nd president was a distant cousin of the 26th. But few realize just how extensive FDR’s presidential family tree really was.

In fact, genealogists have traced Franklin Roosevelt’s family connections to at least 11 US presidents. FDR was not only related to Theodore Roosevelt and his own wife, Eleanor Roosevelt (his fifth cousin once removed), but also to an impressive number of other commanders in chief. Among those connected to him by blood were George Washington (with whom he shared ancestors from English nobility and the early settlers of Virginia), John Adams, John Quincy Adams, James Madison, and William Harrison. Through marriage and extended family ties, he was also related to Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Martin Van Buren, and William Howard Taft.

8

His illness may not have been polio

As is well known, FDR was struck by a serious illness in 1921 at age 39 that left him permanently unable to walk unaided. But during his presidency, he worked hard to keep public attention focused on his leadership rather than on his body, so while Americans understood he had been diagnosed with polio, few knew about the paralysis.

To stand at public events, Roosevelt relied on heavy steel leg braces and canes that helped him project confidence and strength throughout his presidency. However, although doctors at the time diagnosed him with polio, some modern medical researchers have suggested that his symptoms may have been more consistent with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare autoimmune disorder.

9

He didn’t graduate from law school

FDR was a bright and curious man who threw himself into subjects that fascinated him, but when something failed to hold his interest, he wasn't afraid to move on.

After earning a History degree from Harvard University in 1903, he enrolled at Columbia Law School, but he found that he simply didn't enjoy it. According to the Miller Center at the University of Virginia, Roosevelt showed little enthusiasm for the legal profession, and maybe that’s why he never achieved a Law degree. Even so, he passed the New York bar exam and began practicing after it, but the experiment lasted only a few years. Then, in 1910, an opportunity came along that interested him far more: local Democrats in New York asked him to run for the state Senate. Roosevelt eagerly accepted, and his political career was underway.

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Expert in many fields

Politics and wartime strategy weren't FDR's only talents. Long before he entered the White House, he acquired a deep interest in nature.

Growing up in Dutchess County, New York, Roosevelt developed a fascination with birds that went far beyond a childhood hobby. By age 11, he was already learning taxidermy, eventually becoming a skilled self-taught naturalist and bird expert. Over the years, he identified and cataloged roughly 300 bird species. His detailed field journals and collection of more than 300 Dutchess County specimens are still considered some of the most complete records of local bird life from that era.