Author: Doris Montag

The roulette wheel is a spinning horizontal wheel divided into 38 or 39 numbered and colored slots. The bowl, traditionally made of mahogany, is a fixed part of the roulette wheel. . . Read More

I was recently asked if the Dunce Hat was real. Here is the answer: Originally the Dunce hat was a symbol of high intelligence. It was worn by the respected scholars who followed John Duns Scotus (c. . . Read More

The European holiday customs centered around St. Nicholas; a charitable Catholic Turkish Bishop born in the 4th century. St. Nicholas was associated with gift giving to children on December 6, St. . . Read More

What do we know about the trinkets and treasures of the Christmas holiday season? When did all this hoopla happen? Decorations are mentioned in descriptions of the Roman feast of Saturnalia which originated in the 5th century BC. . . Read More

In 1892, John Froelich of Girard, Iowa, introduced the pioneering 2-cylinder gas powered tractor engine capable of propelling the tractor forward and backward. Previously, steam-powered engines were used, but they were heavy, hard to maneuver, and . . . Read More

Cave people may have played with small round balls. Clay balls have been found in the tombs of Egypt, in Native American burial grounds and in the ancient Aztec pyramids. Smooth stones, nuts, fruit pits and fired balls of clay were used for games. . . . Read More

Lightning strikes are dangerous when they hit a structure resulting in a fire, or electrocution if they hit a person. Lightning is caused when excess negative electrical charge builds up in the clouds. . . Read More

An umbrella, as well as a parasol, is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. They fold and close along the pole and are opened when needed. . . Read More

A crayon is a stick of pigmented wax used for writing or drawing. Wax crayons differ from pastels which use a dry binder such as Arabic gum powder mixed with the pigment. . . Read More

The words ‘rocking chair’ appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1787. Benjamin Franklin was credited with the invention in 1710, but probably early American cabinetmakers or farmers are responsible. Historians believe the first armless rockers . . . Read More

Overalls were originally essential workwear intended to be worn over the wearer’s clothes. The design of overalls is a bib attached to trousers with over the shoulder straps. Bib overalls, also known as dungarees, also had an enlarged crotch section . . . Read More

How did early builders ensure the structures they were erecting were plumb vertically and horizontally? The principle they had observed is that a body of water is always horizontal, thus, a trough or channel filled with water can show horizontality. . . Read More

Do you wonder about the history of women’s undergarments? From the time of our origins until the 1500s, NO underwear was worn. This made toileting, i.e. squatting, easy. So, what was the purpose of early undergarments? . . Read More

The Zamboni ice resurfacer was invented by Frank Zamboni, an Italian immigrant born at the turn of the century. In 1920, Frank and his brothers opened an auto repair shop, but soon switched to building and installing large refrigeration units for the . . . Read More

The European holiday customs centered around St. Nicholas, a charitable Catholic Turkish Bishop born in the 4th century, was associated with gift giving to children on December 6, St. Nicholas Day. . . Read More

Stockings refer to over-the-knee hosiery. They have been worn by European noble men for horseback riding since the 15th & 16th centuries. In 1560, Queen Elizabeth I began wearing knit silk stockings for their softness and comfort. . . Read More

 . . .  . . Read More

The 1862 Homestead Act, signed by Lincoln prior to the Civil War, was an important piece of legislation about federal land. The Homestead Act provided that any adult citizen who had never borne arms against the U.S. . . Read More

We aren’t the first to wear feather accessories! The Neanderthals wore the darker feathers of birds of prey. Later, high-ranking Egyptians wore ostrich feathers in their hair as a symbol of allegiance to the Goddess of Truth. . . Read More

Hillerich & Bradsby, Co. and Adirondack, Inc. dominated bat manufacturing during the early days of American baseball history. Following is an abbreviated timeline of the history and the specifications of the Bat and Baseball. . . Read More

 . . .  . . Read More

Salt, sodium chloride (NaCl), is one of the oldest forms of food seasoning and is essential to human and animal health. Salt is a naturally occurring mineral which breaks into sodium and chloride ions. . . Read More

Do you recall the series of 6 red Burma-Shave advertising signs along the country highways? In 1925, Clinton Odell and his brother, Allan, installed these sequential road signs to market Burma-Shave, a brushless shaving cream. . . Read More

What did humans use to clean themselves in the days BEFORE toilet paper? Naturally, they used what was readily available. The simplest way was physical use of one’s hand, but any alternative was likely preferred. . . Read More