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.

8

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.

9

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

Movie etiquette slides: The "don’ts" of early cinema

Image: Alex Litvin

Long before "silence your phones" became a common phrase, the audience was advised to mind their manners with whimsical "movie etiquette" slides. These slides, from the early 1900s, reminded theatergoers to behave properly while in the establishment. Suggestions like "Applaud with hands only" were a gentle nudge to stay courteous—after all, what else would one applaud with, right?

Another classic recommendation: "If annoyed when here, please tell the management," a precursor to modern customer service advice.

2

America’s birth certificate: The map that named a continent

Image: Chris Lawton

Does America have a birth certificate? Not exactly, but something like that—hear this out. It’s actually a map that holds the unique honor of using the name "America" for the very first time . Created by Martin Waldseemüller in 1507, it has a lengthy Latin title and shows an emerging understanding of the globe, especially the newly discovered Western Hemisphere and Pacific Ocean.

For the first time, a cartographer separated the Americas from Europe and Asia, recognizing them as distinct continents. The Library of Congress acquired the map in 2003 and is often referred to as America’s "birth certificate."

3

A Monopoly prequel: The Office Boy

Image: Jaciel Melnik

Before Monopoly was monopolizing (pun intended) family game nights, Parker Brothers tested the waters with a lesser-known board game called "The Office Boy." Released in 1889, this early game was all about climbing the corporate ladder , reflecting the "American Dream" narrative popular at the time.

Players began as humble stock boys and had to work their way up to the head of the firm, with virtues like integrity and promptness helping them along, while carelessness could set them back. Pretty much like real life, huh?

Although "The Office Boy" never reached the same iconic status, it’s a fascinating precursor to Monopoly and you can take a look at it at the Library of Congress.

4

Locks of famous hair: A snip of history

Image: Taylor Smith

It might sound strange today, but saving locks of hair from notable figures was a common practice in the past. The Library of Congress holds strands from historical figures like Thomas Jefferson, Walt Whitman, and James Madison.

Along with the locks, you can also learn some interesting facts. For example, Jefferson’s hair was cut at his deathbed by his family, while Whitman’s came courtesy of his housekeeper, who took the liberty of snipping a few strands. These tiny, personal (maybe too personal) belongings have lost their shine over the years, but they still connect visitors to some of the most influential figures in history.

5

Bizarre health labels: Fat-Ten-U tablets, anyone?

Image: Jenelle

We might find it hard to believe at times, but societies do change. Want to see how? Take a look at advertisements from a certain era, and you’ll notice the early 20th century had its fair share of questionable health products—some of them can be found at the Library of Congress.

For example, one product you can take a look at is "Loring’s Fat-Ten-U Food Tablets," which promised to help skinny folks gain weight quickly . The accompanying ads featured dramatic before-and-after illustrations of people plumping up into "rosy" health with these tablets.

Compare that with today, and you’ll see that marketing, fads, and science have certainly come a long way, don’t you think?

6

The first road map: Paving the way for American travelers

Image: LouisMoto

We’ve mentioned the first map to name America as a continent, but have you ever wondered who the first person to draw a roadmap of the US was? Well, you can learn about that at the Library of Congress.

Back in 1789, when George Washington became president, Christopher Colles published what is now considered the first road map of the United States . His guide, titled A Survey of the Roads of the United States of America , helped travelers navigate the relatively new nation. Rather than displaying large swathes of territory, each page zoomed in on short stretches of road, making it much easier to navigate.

Of course, if you look at it today, it is outdated, but back then, it made traveling around the country a lot easier!

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Culinary advice for motorists: Gourmet on the go

Image: Debby Hudson

One doesn’t usually—or immediately—place a motorist in a kitchen, right? But we guess this is here to prove us wrong!

When early motorists hit the road, there weren’t fast-food chains or convenience stores on every corner. This posed a problem, but the solution came around rather quickly: The Motorist’s Luncheon Book by May Southworth, published in 1923, provided travelers with the advice they needed to plan their meals on the go. The book suggested packing emergency supplies like sardines, canned frankfurters, and even "bacon in jars" and some recipes to cook on the road.

If you’re ever out of ideas in the kitchen, you might want to get a quick look at this book!

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Jefferson’s vanilla ice cream recipe: Founding Father of desserts

Image: Hidden

Wait, Jefferson—as in the Founding Father? That’s right. Thomas Jefferson may have helped write the Declaration of Independence, but he also knew how to make a mean vanilla ice cream.

Among his vast collection of papers at the Library of Congress is his personal recipe for the classic dessert . The recipe is as simple as it gets: just "good cream," egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. Jefferson, known for his love of French cuisine, likely picked up this ice cream-making skill while serving as a diplomat in Paris. While the recipe is quite detailed, it’s a reminder that even the most powerful figures in history had a sweet tooth. You could honor him by making this for your loved ones tonight!

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The first known book printed in America: The Bay Psalm Book

Image: Aaron Burden

We all know what the first printed book in the world was, right? But what about the first printed book in America? Here’s what you need to know about it.

North America’s first printed book, The Whole Booke of Psalmes , also known as The Bay Psalm Book , dates back to 1640, just two decades after the Mayflower landed. This hymnal was created in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and contains psalms translated from Hebrew into English—but with a twist: the spelling and grammar were, well… creative by modern standards.

The book has no music notes, just the lyrics for worshippers to follow along with. Though simple in appearance, it pretty much marks a milestone in American printing and religious history.

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Helen Keller’s plea to Alexander Bell: A message of hope

Image: Anne Nygård

As you probably already know, Hellen Keller was both deaf and blind. But that was never an obstacle to her journey of self-improvement and activism for the rights of the disabled. She is, still today, one of the most influential figures in history.

Now, concerning this article, here’s the fascinating artifact’s history: In 1907, Helen Keller sent a telegram to Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone and an advocate for the deaf. In it, Keller, who was both deaf and blind, asked Bell to join her in delivering a speech , hoping he would repeat her words aloud for the audience. This small but powerful telegram is now part of the Library of Congress’s collection and you can take a look at it to learn about the deep bonds formed between two icons of American history.

1

The Second of July?

The first 4th of July celebration took place spontaneously in Philadelphia in 1777 and included elements that still persist today, such as bonfires, parades, and fireworks. But not everyone was on board. Founding Father John Adams famously refused all invitations to celebrate on account of disagreeing with the date.

For him, celebrations needed to be held on July 2nd, the day independence was voted on, rather than the 4th, when independence was declared , but July 4th became widely accepted because it was the date that appeared on the distributed copies of the document. In a both poetic and ironic turn of events, Adams — along with Jefferson, who penned the document — died on July 4th, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

2

Who came up with the turkey pardon?

While many correctly assume that the official Presidential turkey pardon on Thanksgiving is an old event, it was not an official tradition until 1989, under the George H.W. Bush administration . But the roots of the tradition are nearly as old as the holiday itself.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln’s young son, Tad, asked to adopt the turkey intended for the Christmas dinner and named it Jack. This didn't become a regular tradition, but it set the precedent for President Kennedy to pardon the turkey gifted to the First Family in 1963 , a custom adopted by many of the following presidents, with Reagan being the first to call it the "presidential pardoning".

3

The anti-pumpkin movement

As a crop native to America, pumpkin is mentioned across American history, including the first Thanksgiving. But before pumpkin pie was a symbol of the holiday, it was a New England dessert that divided the nation.

Thanksgiving was instituted as an official holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, with turkey and pumpkin pie quickly becoming the main dishes on the menu. After the Civil War, the Southern states were reluctant to adopt the holiday and its associated pie, claiming it was a "Yankee tradition" and a celebration of Northern culture. As a way of rejecting what they saw as a cultural imposition, many Southern cooks replaced the pumpkin pie with sweet potato pie, which remains much more common in the South.

4

The 22 years without Christmas

The minute Thanksgiving ends and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" returns to the top of the charts, much of the country gets into the holiday spirit. Surprisingly, just a few centuries ago, and 100 years before the United States was officially formed, Christmas was banned altogether .

During Cromwell’s interregnum (1649-1660), the Puritan-led English Parliament canceled the Christmas festivities of 1644, claiming it was a Catholic festivity of pagan origin. The sentiment echoed across the Atlantic, where the Massachusetts Bay Colony, of Puritan origins, banned Christmas in 1659 and fined those who celebrated or took the day off. The ban remained in place even after the restoration of the Monarchy, and was only lifted in 1681. Ulysses S. Grant declared it a federal holiday in 1870.

5

Mandatory anonymity

Anyone who ever celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans knows that masks are an integral part of the event, with those in the parade and many spectators concealing their identity. What many don’t know is that, per Louisiana law, wearing a mask in public is illegal , a statute passed in the 1920s to counteract the Ku Klux Klan’s influence and its intimidation tactics.

So, what happens during Mardi Gras? In the traditional Carnivals, masks were a way for people of all classes to mingle without endangering their reputation. While it is not a requirement for spectators today, anti-mask laws are suspended during Mardi Gras . However, if you are taking part in the parade, masks are not only allowed but mandatory.

6

A very successful campaign

Does your family watch the Rose Bowl Game on January 1st? It’s one of the oldest postseason football games in American history . But, did you know that its origin stems from a tourism campaign?

In the 1890s, the city of Pasadena, California, started celebrating the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day as a way to promote the city’s mild weather to tourists on the East Coast . To increase promotion, a postseason college football game was played in 1902, but the result was so lopsided —49-0— that it was not repeated the following years. In 1916, a new game was organized with resounding success, and it has been held annually since then.

7

The original Black Friday

B efore being synonymous with big sales and discounts, Black Friday was synonymous with crisis . The first recorded use of ‘Black Friday’ dates back to 1869, when the stock market suffered a devastating crash due to financial speculation. The economic effects of the crash were so severe that the name connoted calamity and misery.

How did it become associated with the day after Thanksgiving? In the 1950s, Philadelphia received hordes of tourists who came to shop and attend the annual Army-Navy football game the day after Thanksgiving, creating such chaos that the police forces dubbed it the "Black Friday". To counteract the negativity, retailers adopted the name in association with massive discounts.

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From Decoration to Memorial Day

The last Monday of May, America remembers and honors those who laid down their lives in defense of the country. Friends and relatives of fallen service members gather to lay wreaths and flags in cemeteries ; the Memorial Day holiday also serves as the unofficial starting point for the summer season. But where does this tradition come from?

It wasn’t always Memorial Day. Originally called ‘Decoration Day’, the tradition of adorning graves started after the Civil War , and it was first celebrated on a national scale in 1868. After World War I, the tradition was expanded to include all American soldiers fallen during a military conflict.

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Hedgehog Day

You might just know about it because of the popular 1993 Bill Murray movie, but Groundhog Day is real, and it’s celebrated every February 2nd. According to tradition, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow sees its shadow, it will go back to hibernate , and there will be six more weeks of winter. If not, spring will come early. But did you know that the tradition usually observed the behavior of a different animal?

Though Groundhog Day is celebrated across America —and even Canada— it was initially a Pennsylvania tradition, brought by German and Dutch immigrants. Back in Europe, they observed the behavior of hedgehogs and badgers to predict the length of winter, but these were not native to America. Looking for a similar local animal, they turned to the groundhog.

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The 6-month difference

We can name a select few holidays that are celebrated internationally, such as New Year’s Day or Christmas. But what about Labor Day? While nearly 160 countries across the globe celebrate it on May 1st, the U.S. celebrates it six months later , on the first Monday in September.

Labor Day (also known as International Workers’ Day) started as a commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago, where a protest for workers’ rights ended with several casualties. As the protest was linked to socialist labor movements, the U.S. government was wary of celebrating workers on that date . As a compromise with labor activists, President Grover Cleveland instituted Labor Day as a federal holiday in 1894, but deliberately chose a date as far away as possible.