New Orleans. Offerings, or ex votos, are left there for St. Roch, the patron saint of healing. Plaster body parts, prosthetics, crutches, “thanks” stones and other trinkets are everywhere. The cemetery was created in 1874 after an outbreak of yellow fever that killed thousands in New Orleans. “The then pastor of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Father Peter Leonard Thevis, is said to have prayed to St. Roch for his congregation to be spared, and when they were, he kept his promise to build a Chapel to the 14th-century saint. “

Before the mid-18th century, barber-surgeons were a one-stop shop. You could get a shave, have a tooth pulled and get a boil lanced in one visit. Blood-letting, trepanning, leeching, bone-setting, gall stone removal, enemas, haircuts and embalming the dead were all on the menu.  Not until 1745 were the professions of barbers and surgeons considered separate by law.   

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Walter Freeman’s “Lobotomobile” that he toured around the country in the 60’s to promote his adapted lobotomy procedure. No, he did not call his camper the “Lobotomobile,” that was coined later by his critics. His version of the procedure came to be known as the “ice pick” lobotomy. It could be done in under 10 minutes and would be used on thousands of people, some as young as 4 years old. While Freeman WAS a neurologist, he never had surgical training.

19th Century Victorian London saw its share of violence.  In the poorer areas, overcrowding and lack of jobs sent crime skyrocketing.  Garroting (strangulation with a ligature) was a popular method of attacking someone.  It got to a point where folks thought ruffians were around every corner ready to pounce.  The "Peelers" (Metropolitan Police named for founder Sir Robert Peele) were even issued anti-garroting collars, 4- inch high thick leather collars.  The media sensationalized the trend so much that a "panic" ensued.   Peelers were also issued a truncheon, a bulls-eye lantern which hung from the belt, handcuffs, a rattle (to sound an alarm) and a heavy duty reinforced top hat referred to as a stovepipe hat.  The hat had cane strips on the inside and was also covered in leather to provide the wearer protection from blows to the head.  

Ray Harryhausen is basically the father of special effects in film.  Born 1920 in LA, Harryhausen devised techniques such as split-screen or "dynamation," taking animation and stop motion to levels never seen before.  He influenced kids the likes of George Lucas, Steven Spielburg, James Cameron, Peter Jackson and Tim Burton.  This piece is my tribute to him.  Do yourself a favor and go watch Jason and the Argonauts (1963) if you've never seen it.

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The Monster Next Door

Found around the world, catacombs were originally used to house the surplus of bones from overflowing cemeteries.  These ossuaries were blessed and consecrated before the bones were moved in.  Priests and monks arranged the bones in ways that ranged from simple stacking to making incredible displays that are true works of art.  Today, many catacombs are open to the public to view.  Check out Paul Koudounaris' book Memento Mori for incredible photos.

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Miniature replica of an Odd Fellows ceremonial coffin with skeleton. Used in initiation ceremonies.

St. Nicholas vs. Krampus.  

Annie Edson Taylor was the first person ever to successfully go over Niagra Falls in a barrel and live. The year was 1901. She told papers she was in her 40’s, but she was in fact 63. She is dubbed “Queen of the Mist.”

July 11, 1804 - After years of personal and political bitterness, former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and Vice President Aaron Burr dueled at Weehawken, New Jersey.   Both men fired a shot, Hamilton's missed (some believe on purpose), but Burr's landed.  Hamilton died the next day from his injuries.  Burr was acquitted of murder charges, but the criticism of him that followed basically put an end to his political career. 

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The use of canaries in mines dates back to 1911.  They were crucial in detecting deadly carbon monoxide and other toxic gases for the miners.  As long as the bird was singing, the men knew the air was safe.  

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Demand for fresh cadavers in the medical schools of the 17 & 1800's created a very lucrative market to anyone who could provide them.  The money was so good that, of course, the criminal element found a gold mine within graveyards, unearthing the recently buried and selling them quietly to the schools.  When the monetary  rewards kept increasing, some made the jump to straight up murder - eliminating the middleman.  See: Burke and Hare

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At 5'4" and 130 pounds, Henry Johnson, a Red Cap train porter, enlisted in the all-black 15th NY National Guard Regiment in 1917.  He was shipped out to France to fight in WWI and ended up assigned to menial labor by his U.S. officers.  The French welcomed the men of the 15th, (now renamed the 369th Infantry) known now as the "Harlem Hellfighters."  One night on sentry duty, Henry and fellow soldier, Needham Roberts, were attacked by a German raiding party.  Johnson and Roberts shot back until they were out of bullets, then Henry had (then injured) Roberts hand him grenades to throw, used his rifle as a club until it shattered, and was down to using his bolo knife when backup arrived.  He then promptly passed out.  In the light of day his feat was evident.  Henry had killed 4 Germans and wounded 10-20 more while he had 21 wounds from  hand to hand combat.  Because of these heroic efforts, the Germans failed to cross over the French line that night.  France awarded Johnson and Roberts the Croix du Guerre- their highest military honor.  These two men were the 1st American privates to receive it.  Johnson and the Harlem Hellfighters returned to New York in a parade to celebrate their bravery and achievements.  The nickname "Black Death" was given to Henry and the New York Times said that the Hellfighter's arrival in Harlem "threw the population into hysterics."  

Henry Johnson was forgotten by history until fairly recently.  He's been awarded (posthumously) the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Medal of Honor.  He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.   His son later served with the Tuskegee Airmen.

See:  Henry Johnson and the Harlem Hellfighters

Young black Red Cap turned war hero

Knicknamed "Black Death"

Fought off a couple dozen Germans

Harlem Hellfighters (not only amazing name, but credited with introducing jazz to European audiences)

1st American to receive Croix du Guerre

Died in obscurity

Son a Tuskegee Airman

Movie???    Yes, please!

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Until the late-1800's, a Sin-eater was considered a necessary but despised member of many communities.  Treated as an outcast, the Sin-Eater would live a solitary life until a family called upon him to help send the newly dead to the afterlife.  Typically, bread and ale were placed on the deceased's body and, after a brief ceremony, the Sin-Eater consumed the food and drink along with the person's sins, freeing the soul to pass peacefully.  The Sin-Eater would then be paid a few coins and quickly sent away to solitary life again, "doomed" to suffer the fate of someone so full of sin.  

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A man in a dark suit and tie boarded a Boeing 727 in Portland, Oregon, on the day before Thanksgiving in 1971.  The man, Dan (D.B. in the press) Cooper, then proceeded to hijack the plane with a bomb in his briefcase.   After receiving his demand of $200,000 in cash, 4 parachutes, and food for the crew during a forced landing, the plane took off again where Cooper lowered the rear stairs and jumped into the night.  No evidence of Cooper (alive or dead) has ever been found.  His politeness, style and enduring mystery have made him a legend.   

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Peaches, ice cream and unwashed hands.  These are the ingredients suspected to be the cause of many typhoid fever outbreaks.  Mary Mallon (an asymptomatic carrier of the pathogen)  was a cook during that time and one her most popular desserts was homemade ice cream with raw peaches.  Unfortunately, she was not a fan of washing hands.  Mallon is better known to most people as Typhoid Mary. 

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Year 1927.  While working at the U.S. Marine Hospital in Key West, Florida, Count Carl Von Cosel  (real name: Carl Tanzler) fell in love with a beautiful 22-year old patient, Elena Hoyos.  She died soon after, but this didn't deter Tanzler.  He ended up stealing her body from her mausoleum and taking it to his home where he strung her bones together with wire and used wax and cloth to replace her rotting flesh. Tanzler dressed her, brought her presents, danced with her body and even installed a tube into Elena so he could have "relations" with her.  This went on for 7 years until he was found out and arrested.  Elena's body was reclaimed and buried in a hidden location.  Carl Tanzler somehow avoided jail time, but did fashion a life-size doll in Elena's likeness that he kept until his death.  His dead body was found still clutching the doll.

Insult to Injury Corner:  Because the trial was so sensational, Elena's body was publicly displayed before being released back to her family.  About 7,000 people came to see her. 

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The French Revolution grew out of the public's resentment of the aristocracy and the monarchy's excessive taxes and warfare.  As many as 50,000 French citizens of all social classes were beheaded at the guillotine but I wanted to focus on the revolutionaries, Marie Antoinette and her executioner, Henri Sanson, and the "knitting ladies" who knitted to pass the time between beheadings.  Antoinette didn't go to her death looking like this but I couldn't resist showing her most iconic look.  In fact, a woman's hair was usually bobbed before she was beheaded to help the blade slice more efficiently.  Fun fact:  Young women of the period wore red choker necklaces as a nod to the beheadings.  

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Born a slave in the 1830s, Mary Fields ended up in Montana where she raised animals, grew crops, smoked cigars, swore, delivered a U.S. mail route by stagecoach unfailingly, drank men under the table, carried a shotgun and pistols at all times, and according to the Great Falls Examiner "broke more noses in central Montana than any other person" - due to her affinity to fist fight men.  She delivered mail and parcels to such remote areas that she is credited with helping develop central Montana.  Her route kept communication open to the outside world for those who lived in even the most remote corners of the state.  Mary earned her nickname by being so dependable and punctual in every kind of Montana weather.  She didn't retire from her route until she was almost 70 years old.  

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In 1920, Prohibition went into effect in the United States but it seemed like everyone flouted the law until its repeal in late 1933.  "Blind tigers," "blind pigs" and speakeasies cropped up everywhere, some disguised as pharmacies, to illegally sell alcohol.  According to Prohibition historian Daniell Okrent, "windfalls from legal alcohol sales helped... Walgreens grow from around 20 locations to more than 500 during the 1920s."   

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In 1898, Aida Overton began singing and dancing for Vaudeville comedy duo Bert Williams and George Walker, her future husband. The two men produced ragtime musicals with entirely black casts, which were a stark contrast to the minstrel shows of the day. Aida later married Walker and performed strong female roles, refusing to be a stereotype - one of the first for female vaudevillians. Known as "Queen of the Cakewalk," Walker is considered one of the greatest black stage performers of her time.  She blazed a trail for modern dance pioneers and helped establish the acceptance of professional African American musical artists on the professional concert stage.

Source: *Constance Valis Hill,

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Frederick William I, the King of Prussia during the early 18th century, was obsessed with acquiring and breeding tall men (at that time anyone over 6 feet tall).  Some volunteered but many were sold, abducted or bred into the regiment (with the help of very tall women, of course).  The men, who came to be known as the Potsdam Giants (also the Long Guys), were well paid and well fed but, ironically, were just intimidating ornaments for the castle and rarely saw battle. 

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In Medieval Europe, witch burnings were pretty common.  Sometimes it was the community and church being superstitious or a "healer" being misunderstood, but often it was a very efficient way to seize a widow's land and holdings.  Why wait for her to die when you can just accuse her of witchcraft?  Scholars disagree on just how many thousands of people were killed during these witch "hunts".

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Everyone has heard of Peter and Catherine the Great.  But not everyone knows that Peter had his friend, William Mons, beheaded when he discovered Mons and Catherine were lovers?  Peter had Mons's head put in a jar of alcohol where, according to some, it sat in Catherine's bedroom until Peter's death.  

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Elizabeth Bathory was a 17th-century Hungarian countess who tortured and killed young virgins so that she could bathe in their blood.  She believed that doing so would keep her young and beautiful.  Rumors of her treatment and murder of young women in the area had persisted for a while, but her status made her fairly untouchable. Not until she killed a few daughters of local nobles was she caught.  Bathory was sentenced to be bricked up in a room of her castle with only slits for air and food. She lasted around 3 years.  The exact number of victims is debated, but it's somewhere around 650 girls.

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The Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland, considered the "home of golf,"  dates back to the early 15th century.  King James II banned the game in 1457 because it took too much time away from the study of archery and other worthy pursuits, thereby it was not a productive activity for the young men of Scotland.  The ban remained in place until 1502 when King James IV discovered that he loved playing the game.

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Mary Shanley was born in Ireland in 1896.  After immigrating to America with her family, she eventually became an undercover policewoman in New York City.  She specialized in single-handedly bringing down thieves and con artists on the city streets.  Mary appeared to be an average middle-aged, matronly figure but could take a man down by herself.  In 1934, when the NYPD required their female officers to carry guns, Mary became the 1st policewoman in NYPD history to use a gun during a capture and arrest.  She typically only had to shoot into the air to get offenders to hit the floor.  By the time she retired, Mary had been promoted to  detective and had made more than 1,000 arrests.

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The 18th century was the height of the enormous wig craze - the taller and more elaborate the better.  Well-crafted pieces were status symbols for both men and women, designed to flaunt wealth and power.  The fact that they were incredibly expensive, some totaling the same as an average yearly wage, meant they were ripe for stealing.  Boys under blankets, trained monkeys and slicing open carriage walls were just a few of the elaborate methods employed to snatch wigs.  Check out Atlas Obscura's article.

Fun Fact:  The term "bigwig" originated from this fad as only the very wealthy could afford big wigs.

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The mythical cyclops was possibly based on the early Greeks finding the remains of what we now know are relatives to the elephant.  A giant hole in the center of the skull that appeared to be an eye socket would definitely have confirmed the cyclops theory if that's what they were looking for.  Check out photos here.  

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Anna Strong was a member of the Culper Spy Ring in New York during the American Revolution.  She used her clothesline to communicate messages to the next agent.  A black petticoat and white handerchiefs served as code hanging on the hill next to her house, a perfect cover for any British soldier nosing around.  Just a woman hanging laundry....

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Jui-Jitsu Wielding Suffragette. When the police started getting rough with the suffragettes, they learned some sweet self-defense.

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Victorians took mourning their loved ones very seriously.  Jay's Mourning Warehouse was an actual place that gives us a fantastic glimpse into this world.  Mourners (particularly women) were expected to follow strict practices of wearing the appropriate clothing for very specific time periods.  Even the different sheens of black had meaning.  First you were in "full mourning" with "half mourning" following where gray and lavender could be introduced back into your wardrobe.  You could have your loved one's hair made into jewelry or art to keep them close.  Clothing, jewelry, mourning photography, veils, umbrellas, fans, hair pins, as well as black wreaths and fabric for your front door were all available.  

Between 1952-1955, there were annual "Miss Atomic Bomb" pageants in Las Vegas, NV.  This was at the height of America's excitement over atomic energy.  It quietly disappeared as the country realized the dangers associated with nuclear testing.

The "Man Who Killed Halloween"  -   On October 31, 1974, 8-year old Timothy O'Bryan died after eating Halloween candy laced with cyanide.  Within days, his father, Ronald Clark O'Bryan, was accused of staging the crime as part of an insurance scheme to get out of debt.  O'Bryan, a deacon in his church, laced 5 21-inch giant Pixy Stix with cyanide and slipped them to his children and his friend's children while they were out trick-or-treating together, saying they came from an unfamiliar house.  His children were allowed to eat one piece before bedtime and Ronald suggested the Pixy Stix to his son, even helping him wash it down with Kool-Aid.  Timothy was dead within the hour.  Fortunately, the police were able to obtain the other Pixy Stix before anyone else ate one, although his friend's child was found clutching  the candy while sleeping.  He had been unable to open it because Ronald had stapled the Stix closed after he laced them.  By the way, he called about the insurance money the morning after the funeral. Wow.  This case was huge (besides the obvious) in that it changed the mindset of parents nationwide about letting their kids trick-or-treat any and everywhere.  Now we x-ray candy, go to Trunk-or-Treats, or only go to houses we know and that's a real shame.

The Bender family (Ma, Pa, Kate & John Jr.) built a one-room house in a remote region of Kansas in 1870.  The front of the house was a general store and inn and the back served as living quarters.  Being remote, the inn attracted travelers looking to get food, a night's rest and supplies for their trip.  Young Kate's beauty and charm helped convince many lone travelers to stay for dinner, especially if they looked like they had money.  She would have the guest sit at the "seat of honor" at the table which just happened to put his back right next to the sheet that divided the 2 rooms.  John Jr. would be behind the curtain and strike the guest squarely on the head with a sledgehammer, then slit his throat, killing him.  The body was then dragged backwards and thrown through a trap door in the floor, to  be buried later.  The Benders took everything of value from the guest, including livestock they were traveling with.  They were found out when someone came looking for a missing family member and started an investigation.  A neighbor noticed the inn was abandoned and notified the authorities.  Search volunteers tore the house apart and found the bloody cellar and freshly turned dirt.  They ultimately found 10 bodies, but 21 murders were attributed to the family, including an infant that was possibly buried alive.  The Benders suspected trouble and had cleared out already and were never seen (or caught) again.  BTW, there's plenty of evidence that the Benders were not a family, not related and not even named Bender.  

In 1698, Peter I of Russia instituted a beard tax to "modernize" Russian society after he toured a few Western countries.  He tried to ban facial hair.  Those that paid received a beard token that was to be carried at all times.  The Russian eagle was on one side and the lower part of the face was on the other.  The phrases "money taken" and "the beard is a superfluous burden" were also on the coin.  Men who refused to pay were forcibly shaved.   Just this year a U.K. barber suggested bringing back the beard tax to help with the national budget.  He admitted being "anti-beard" and, btw, unable to grow one himself (hmmmmm), but in the end said he was really trying to make a "ridiculous state of tax in the hairdressing industry."  P.S. That may or may not be St. Nicholas in the back of the line.  Bonus: Would you ask St. Nicholas (not a random Santa) to pay?

WWII Easter Eggs for Hitler.  I usually don't recreate scenes exactly like their photos, but this one couldn't be any cooler.  Easter Morning March 10, 1945: West Germany.  Tech. Sergeant William Thomas and Private First Class Joseph Jackson.  Photo credit: 1st Lt. John D. Moore.  969th Field Artillary Battalion.  Researching this photo I read the comments on different sites that had to point out that Adolf was spelled wrong.  OK. WHO CARES?  Everything about this moment is incredible. 

In 897 A.D., Catholic Pope Stephen (VII) put former Pope Formosus on trial - despite Formosus having been dead for nine months.  Pope Stephen was so enraged over Formosus' actions 30 years prior that he had his body exhumed, clad him in papal robes and propped him on a throne at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, complete with a deacon for legal council.  The reasons for his rage stemmed from a complicated political power struggle.  (If you want more details just google Cadaver Synod or Cadaver Trial.)  Pope Stephen, as lead prosecutor, shouted his arguments at the corpse.  The final verdict was, of course, guilty.  Formosus was stripped of his sacred vestments, had 3 fingers cut off his right hand (the one used for blessings), had all his ordinations annulled and was eventually thrown into the Tiber River.  A local monk reportedly drug his body out of the water days later and reinterred him at St. Peter's Basilica.  It's reported that another Pope exhumed him again in 904 A.D., beheaded him and again threw his body in the Tiber.  In case you're wondering, the Catholic Church has since banned any future physical prosecutions of corpses (round of applause!) and Pope Formosus and his acts were posthumously reinstated.  Most metal phrase of the day: DAMNATIO MEMORIAE: Meaning condemnation of memory, everything you ever did wiped from the books. 

History Bones version of scene from To Kill a Mockingbird.  Boo Radley rescuing Jem and Scout after someone attacked them in the woods.  Had to include the tree with treasures too.

Little Edie from the Grey Gardens documentary in her famous flag dance ensemble

Vlad the Impaler "action" figure.  Complete with the remains of a couple of enemies.  

Harryhausen's Skeleton Army from the Jason and the Argonauts movie.  Housed in old tv set.  Very early piece.

In 1903, Curie became the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize  in Physics for her (and her husband's) work in radioactivity.  She took over her husband's teaching position at Paris' Sorbonne (1906), after he was killed in an accident, becoming the institution's first female professor.  Curie won a second Nobel Prize in 1911 in chemistry for the discovery of radium, often carrying test tubes of it in her pockets.  Rumor has it that some of her papers are still radioactive. 

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Antikamnia Chemical Co. skeleton character done History Bones’s style.

Victorian Era funeral mourners (paid). Status could be shown off with lots of these guys on the day of the funeral. Fell out of fashion eventually due to their fondness to drink and society feeling it was a bit tacky to have complete strangers mourn for loved ones.