By Tim Lambert Early Stockings People have worn stockings since Ancient Times. Roman soldiers wore stockings called udones, especially in cold climates. The oldest existing stockings were made in Egypt in the 4th or 5th centuries AD. Early socks had split toes and were designed to be worn with sandals. In the Middle Ages, both… Continue reading A History of Stockings
A History of Pencils
By Tim Lambert Early Pencils The name pencil comes from a Latin word, Penicillus, which means brush. In the Middle Ages, in England, a pencel was a small brush made of camel hair, used for painting. Graphite was discovered in Bavaria in the 15th century. However, a pure deposit of graphite was discovered in Borrowdale,… Continue reading A History of Pencils
Sports betting has been around longer than most modern sports
Betting on the outcome of competitions dates back thousands of years. In the United States, the path of gambling from a total ban to almost nationwide legalization has been a long, winding road, marked by high-profile scandals and a constant search for a balance between morality and the public purse. Egyptian dice, Olympic wagers, and… Continue reading Sports betting has been around longer than most modern sports
A Brief History of Contraceptives
By Tim Lambert Life was hard for women before artificial contraception. Not only did they usually have large numbers of children, but those children were also born close together. Reliable contraception was one of the great inventions of the 20th century. Of course, people have always attempted to prevent pregnancy. In Ancient Egypt, women made… Continue reading A Brief History of Contraceptives
The Island That Became an Entertainment Empire
Atlantic City’s story traces a journey from Indigenous seasonal summer settlements and the solitary homes of the first settlers to glittering casinos and multibillion-dollar investments. The area experienced the heyday of its resort era, a postwar decline, a reboot through the legalization of gambling, and a new wave of projects aimed at ensuring the city… Continue reading The Island That Became an Entertainment Empire
A History of Pewter
By Tim Lambert Early Pewter Pewter was an alloy of tin and lead (although today lead is no longer used. Modern pewter is made of tin, antimony and copper). The earliest known pewter was made in Egypt in about 1,500 BC. The Romans also made pewter. In the Middle Ages, pewter was used by the… Continue reading A History of Pewter
A History of Lead
By Tim Lambert Early Lead People learned to use lead as early as 6,500 BC. It was used to make beads in what is now Turkey. Lead proved to be a useful metal because it has a low melting point and it does not corrode. The Romans used lead to make pipes. In fact, the… Continue reading A History of Lead
A History of Western New York’s Most Dangerous Roads: From Niagara Falls Boulevard to Route 5 in Hamburg
Western New York’s road network reflects a broader pattern seen across New York State, where rapid post-war expansion in the 1950s and 1960s reshaped how communities were connected. During this period, infrastructure planning focused heavily on accommodating growing car ownership and suburban development. Wide, high-speed arterial roads were built to move large volumes of traffic… Continue reading A History of Western New York’s Most Dangerous Roads: From Niagara Falls Boulevard to Route 5 in Hamburg
Best Historical Nonfiction Books You Should Read
While many readers gravitate toward fiction for escapism, historical nonfiction books serve a different purpose. These works rely on primary sources, documented narratives, verified timelines, and data to explain how the core concepts actually function. Whether the topic is a specific political biography or a massive social movement, the books offer a grounded perspective that… Continue reading Best Historical Nonfiction Books You Should Read
Famous Women Pilots
By Tim Lambert In 1784, Elisabeth Thible became the first woman to fly in an untethered balloon. In 1909, Elise Deroche became the first woman to fly solo. Raymonde de Laroche was born in 1882. In 1910, she became the first woman to gain a pilot’s licence (in France). Harriet Quimby was born in 1875.… Continue reading Famous Women Pilots