Season 9 2022

The Dominicans came to Łęczyca in the seventies of the 13th century. Originally, they lived in wooden buildings. It was not until 1341 when a brick St Dominic's church and a two-story monastery were constructed as adjoining the defensive walls of the town. Not much information about its functioning survived. At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, the complex was enlarged by adding new wings. In 1799 the Prussian authorities dissolved the monastery and two years later the building was converted into a prison and the church was demolished. In the second half of the 19th century, a story was added and the building was much enlarged. In subsequent years the area of the former monastery was adapted several times to the requirements of a top-security prison. The Łęczyca prison has been recently moved to a modern building in nearby Garbalin, which was opened in 2007. Łęczyca is a town of 14,362 inhabitants in central Poland. Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship, it is the county seat of the

As one of the most influential railroads in all of New Jersey, the Central New Jersey Railroad has had an incredible impact on the Garden State’s growth throughout the 19th century. It flourished, carrying millions of passengers throughout its lifespan—though it met a tragic end thanks to the rise of automobiles and the widespread fall of railroads all across America. But did you know that not only an abandoned terminal remains, but a replica of a Blue Comet train car still remain? Today, we’ll be taking a look at the lost glory of the Central New Jersey Railroad.

Around Chicago’s downtown area is a collection of buildings that do not appear to be typical buildings at all. Windowless, doorless, but not at all featureless, these buildings hide many of the machinery that keeps the city moving. With a vivid history in electricity, they eventually became a common sight in metropolitan areas. Today, we discuss the so-called “fake buildings” of Chicago.

A building with a very rocky history, 2 Columbus Circle was the core of significant controversy in New York City almost 15 years ago. From its privileged beginnings, its changes in ownership, and the furious debate that raged for thirty years, this relatively recent addition to Manhattan’s list of remarkable buildings had no trouble making up for its lost time.

Once one of Chicago’s most incredible buildings, the Chicago Federal Building is now little but a long-forgotten memory for most of Chicago. Designed by Henry Ives Cobb and with a dome larger than the one on the Capitol Building, it was a marvel of its time—today on It’s History, we will discover the secrets of the lost Chicago Federal Building.

The American Telegraph was one of the first advancements towards the near-instant communication of today. While the telegraph found its origin in Britain, it hit its stride in the United States with Samuel Morse’s design, gaining international prestige and even a cable running across the Atlantic Ocean. Today, we’re going to delve into the history of it and see just what made the telegraph, and Morse Code, click.

Once at the forefront of New York’s booming waterfront economy, many of the original docks that lined the bustling shores of New York City have fallen into disrepair. Some remain mere shells of what they once were, but others have been given new life in recent years— in this episode of It’s History we will explore the many lost docks of New York City.

Outside the Philadelphia International Airport is a shipyard of old and decrepit vessels, but they weren’t always that way. Among these ships are some of the United States Navy’s most storied vessels, heroes of countless wars, and great storied histories. And while their fates are not as glorious as their pasts, one vessel that once rested here is truly the stuff of legend.

Launched in 1936, ORP Blyskawica is the oldest surviving destroyer in the world. The ship took part in several key operations of the Second World War, most notably Operation Overlord, the allied invasion of Normandy, which started the liberation of Western Europe. The ship currently became part of the open air Polish Navy Museum.

Street signs are one of the most common sights in your average city, but the average tourist often does not think of them. But just as the city of Chicago is not average, nor is their street signs. It has shuffled through many designs throughout history before ending with what it has today. And the type it is known for is not in service today but is by no means gone.

Once the tallest building in New York City and the tallest office building in the world, the World Building of New York is no longer present in its skyline. Officially known as the Pulitzer Building, named for the same man as the Pulitzer Prize in Journalism, this building had an extensive history despite being wiped from the map. Tied to both the American Civil War and the Second World War, one can feel its presence over decades, and it still has reverberations to this day.

Sprawling beneath the busy streets of New York lays an incredible steam system that provides heat to many of the city’s most iconic landmarks— the steam stacks, to many, serving as icons all their own. Today on It’s History, we will discover the history of the New York City steam lines.

As one of the busiest vehicular tunnels in the world and a cousin tunnel to the highly successful Holland Tunnel, the Lincoln Tunnel sees over 100,000 cars every single day and around 21 million a year. It connects New York to New Jersey and serves as an incredibly strong connection between the two states— today on It’s History, we will discover the story of the Lincoln Tunnel.

The lost St Paul building, Designed by George B. Post, constructed from 1895 to 1898, and named for the St. Paul Chapel across Broadway. This masterpiece once towered over lower Manhattan's Financial District as one of the first—and tallest—skyscrapers in New York City at 26 stories and 315 feet tall. Its Ionic-style colonnades stood out from the other superstructures of its time. But it was also this very same unique style that made it one of the most critically received buildings in the city's history. In the modern-day, the story of the St. Paul Building has long been lost to time but today we will bring it back to life.

Across the south of New Jersey, there are 1.1 million acres of pine forest. From the northern part of Ocean Country down to Cape May, the Pinelands National Reserve occupied 22% of the state’s land area and is the largest body of open space on the Mid-Atlantic Seaboard between Moston and Richmond. Additionally, 45 percent of the region, or around 493,000 acres, are owned by the public. However, a part of this reserve is of particular note, sourcing several urban legends such as the Jersey devil. This is the story of the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

New York City is the pinnacle example of American development. Being the most populated city in the United States, it requires a tremendous amount of infrastructure – chief Among the most important of these systems is its waterworks which have a long and complex past. Today we discover a fascinating tale of underground piping, aqueducts, forgotten tanks, and the longest tunnel in the world!

An ever-shrinking collection of the US Navy’s most storied ships lies in a bay near San Francisco. This National Defense Reserve Fleet held war heroes, masters of espionage, and behind-the-scenes vessels that the Navy could not function without. Some met a cruel fate in a scrapyard, others found a grandiose museum as their new home, but all were influential in the organization that put them out to pasture.

From the Telegraph’s ashes arises its successor; the Telephone. Starting as a modification to the harmonic telegraph, Alexander Graham Bell’s magnum opus changed communication forever. Sparking an entire industry that connected nations worldwide, monopolies rose and fell, government regulations shifted, all while interconnection expanded.

The City Investing Building had many names in its time, but none of them saved it from destruction. Starting as a project from a prolific designer, it hosted countless businesses as residents before facing demolition, one of the tallest of its time to fall as it did. In recent times, its echoes are silent, and its legacy lies mostly forgotten. Today, however, it comes out of the shadows once more.

The city was founded in 1871 and quickly became a posh destination for Philadelphia and New York society. Its layout echoed European cities, with large inland lakes, broad avenues leading to the sea, and over 200 hotels. It had saltwater pools and carnival rides, and the Marx Brothers headlined at the Paramount. In the 1950s, the town continued to grow and prosper, but it was still a struggling town with its share of challenges. During the 1960s, Asbury Park's music scene began to thrive, with doo-wop, rock and roll, and rhythm and blues playing at the boardwalk and in local bars. Although the beachfront was deserted during the summers, the lack of tourists made it the perfect stomping ground for the misfit musicians who would go on to shape iconic blues rock. The town's boardwalk was also home to numerous clubs, including the famous Paramount Theatre, and the Parlor Gallery, which holds 11 exhibitions annually. By the 1960s, it was a hot spot for the counterculture, with musicians li

Once the Magic City of America’s Rust Belt, Gary, Indiana is a city of a much different reputation today. From the greatest producer of American Steel and a key arm in the Arsenal of Democracy, it devolved into a murder capital until it ran out of people to kill. Its story is familiar, though, with any luck, it is not over.

The Brooklyn docks are an integral part of the borough's history. But with the industrial past of New York City and the rise of container shipping, these piers have been abandoned and left to rot. What happened? In this episode, we take a look at what happened to the piers on Brooklyn's waterfront. We'll talk about how they've been used over the years, why they were abandoned, and what people are saying about them today.

Being as big a city as it is, Chicago needs a lot of systems to keep it running. Among the most important is the sewer system, which has disposed of Chicago’s waste for over 150 years now. From the initial installation and the pollution of the Chicago River to the newer implements of the past several years, the Chicago Sewer System has a pervasive history.

What's on the rooftops of New York City's most famous skyscrapers? From interesting architecture to a bird's-eye view of the city, explore the hidden secrets and stunning vistas of the Big Apple's rooftops.

Second only to the Panama Canal, the Los Angeles Aqueduct was once the most extensive creation of its kind in human history. An unbelievably expensive and lengthy project, its benefits and consequences are still felt today. Other regions went dry to sate Los Angeles’s need for water, causing decades of turmoil in the so-called Water Wars. Without it, the city would have never prospered as it did. The Los Angeles aqueduct is one of the most important and overlooked water projects in American history. The massive aqueduct is an essential piece of Los Angeles — supplying the city’s residents with water and revitalizing the once-barren Owens Lake. The aqueduct was completed in 1913 and has withstood the test of time. However, it is easy to forget that this significant piece of infrastructure was not always in place.The aqueduct is a product of the 1910s in Los Angeles. The booming city was preparing for a century of growth. The population was rapidly increasing, and city leaders needed to

In the 1950s, New Jersey's population was bursting at the seams. The only way to accommodate the increasing number of people was to build more roads. And what better way than with a new multi-lane highway?
This project would come to be known as the New Jersey Turnpike and would forever change how Americans traveled. The New Jersey Turnpike is one of America's most iconic highways, and has shaped the landscape and culture of the Northeast since it first opened in 1951. Join me as I explore the history of the NJTP and how it became one of the most important pieces of infrastructure in our country.

The Pony Express is a testament to the ingenuity and innovation of the American West in the 19th century. The Pony Express is also a reminder of how transportation networks and technology can still have a profound effect on society today. The Pony Express was the first long-distance transportation network in the United States, and it operated between April 3, 1860 and October 26, 1861. The Pony Express was in operation for only six months, but it’s still remembered today as a testament to how important a transportation network can be. The Pony Express was used to transport mail across the vast and sparsely-populated American West. The West, being the largest geographic region in the country at the time, was the perfect place for the Pony Express.

The Chicago & North Western Railway terminal in Chicago, Illinois was one of the most magnificent and beautiful train stations in the country. It was built in 1888 and served as the C&NW's primary station until it was closed in 1970. The station was demolished soon after, but remnants of it still exist today...

Once one of the nation’s premier resorts, the Salton Sea welcomed millions of guests to its idyllic shores every single year. And yet today, it has been reduced to little more than a barren, toxic wasteland, growing saltier every year. Today, we will uncover the story of the Salton Sea, and if there is still hope to save it.

If you wanted to take a trip from New York City to Liverpool, all you would need to do is pack your bags, pay for an airplane ticket and board the plane and in less than 24 hours you are on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean on a completely different continent. But it wasn’t always this easy and this fast. In fact, traveling across the Atlantic was often a dangerous task that took months or years if you even survived. As a result, man has always been trying to find new ways to make this journey, faster, safer and more efficient. One example of this was the invention of steamships. These revolutionary vessels ruled the waves just a few centuries ago before becoming obsolete as man found even faster, safer and more efficient ways to travel, trade and fight wars. This, however, begs the question what happened to these transatlantic steamships which used to be the primary form of travel across this vast ocean?

The Philadelphia subway system has served millions over its lifespan, and continues to be a primary way of travel for countless Philadelphians to this very day. But did you know that the subway system we see today could have been much larger? Today, we will discover the lost subway tunnels of Philadelphia.

Camden City long served as the heart of the South Jersey region. Located directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Camden capitalized on its strategic location for shipping and is the home to the Campbell Soup Company. Unfortunately, Camden lost its once premier standing as it struggled with high poverty, crime, and environmental degradation. But what was the cause of Camden’s fall? What became of the city that once was at the height of an industrial economy?

Did you ever wonder what’s under the city streets that you walk on every day? Well if you live in Seattle, you would be surprised to find out what lies underneath! Underneath the streets of the Pioneer Square neighborhood lies the Seattle Underground, a hidden section of passageways and corridors which at one time hosted an array of commerce both legal and illegal as well as shops, homes, storage and a collection of fascinating history unknown to most, even among Seattle’s citizens themselves. As a result of Seattle’s reconstruction following the Great Fire of 1889, the streets were lifted several stories above ground level for several reasons, leaving all the surrounding buildings to partially dwell underground. After only a few decades the city shut down the Underground for public health and safety concerns but some areas remained in use for various nefarious activities while the rest were left abandoned. While the Seattle Underground is now nothing but a tourist attraction, there pe

The North River Tunnels are a pair of rail tunnels that carry Amtrak and New Jersey Transit lines under the Hudson River between Weehawken, New Jersey, and the Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan. Constructed in 1910, the North River Tunnels is a critical travel option for commuters on the New Jersey Transit and Amtrak’s busy Northeast Corridor line. These tunnels are active, they allow 24 crossings per hour each way and operate near capacity during peak hours. The tubes run parallel to each other underneath the Hudson River. Their centers are separated by 37 feet. The two tracks fan out to 21 tracks just west of Penn Station.

The Radium Girls: how the first female factory workers were poisoned by a radioactive substance and how the fall out almost destroyed a city in New Jersey.

Have you ever wondered what is on the tops of each building in Chicago’s Skyline? Every major American city has a horizon littered with skyscrapers and Chicago, one of the most prominent cities in American history, is no different, holding some of the tallest buildings in the US. When walking through the streets of Chicago and looking up at these metal marvels stabbing the sky, one thing that the everyday citizen can obviously not see, is the tops of these buildings. This ultimately begs the question, what is on the rooftops of Chicago’s tallest buildings? Chicago’s Skyline is one of the tallest cities in the world, holding over 100 skyscrapers that are featured heavily in popular media such as film, television, music and art. Each of these tall structures are all unique in many ways from their age, who they house and what methods were used to construct them. Similarly, what lies on the roof of each of these skyscrapers is different in each case. So in order to get a holistic view of C

As one of New York City’s early skyscrapers, and one of the first high-rise elevator buildings, the New York Tribune Building was a tragically underrated pioneer of its age. Despite its somewhat controversial opening it lived a storied life, though it later fell to the wrecking ball in 1966. This is the story of the lost New York Tribune Building.

Fires in coal mines have been a problem for Pennsylvania for decades. These fires are not only dangerous, but they also keep the mine from being profitable. We'll talk about the dangers of these fires, how they happen, and what can be done to prevent them.

Cincinnati's subway was one of the most ambitious projects in North America. It was designed to link the populous downtown, with the Ohio River Valley, and then onward to the east and west suburbs. There was a long-term plan to extend it all the way to Indiana.
But what happened? Why did Cincinnati, who had a world-class mass transit system in place, build an expensive highway called I-75 instead?

We all know about the Titanic and the Queen Mary, but what about more obscure ships? This video will explore ten of the worlds weirdest ships from antiquity to today. I'll cover what these ships were built for, how they were configured, and why some were so weird!

The state of Texas is one of the most iconic and influential states in the entirety of the United States and because of that, it is world-renowned for its status. The intricacies of Texan society can be seen across the board in things like cultural mannerisms and attitudes, food, film, music, art, fashion and even political ideologies. But one area where it is very easy to see the mark of Texas is in its architecture. By taking a simple walk through some of the biggest and busiest cities or through a quiet suburb, the manner and style in which these structures are built are enriched in what makes Texas, Texas. The Lone Star State has a vast array of famous buildings to explore from famous historical sites such as the Alamo to the Texas Capitol Building where the state government resides, or even cloud-piercing skyscrapers like JP Morgan Chase Tower or Heritage Plaza, the list goes on. While all these structures are beautiful and emblematic in their own right, one inevitable question ar

Compton is a city in southern California, with a rich history of both tragedy and triumph. Come explore the Compton of the past by reading historical accounts and watching old footage, then compare it to what Compton looks like today. We'll cover everything from gang violence to the history of hip-hop as we explore the rise and fall of this iconic city.

The Hudson Tunnel is absolutely massive and was the first large-scale tunneling project under a prominent American river. Originally intended to be the first trans-river rail link between Jersey City and Manhattan, the tunnel took more than 30 years to complete. The history of the tunnel is a fascinating example of early Gilded Age engineering technology and is considered a notable engineering achievement. Today we will discover the story of the Hudson Tunnel and how it came to be!

Arizona, was a major copper-producing center built on the steep canyon slopes east of the Mule Mountains. Bisbee is 92 miles southeast of Tucson and 11 miles north of the Mexican border and is one of the world’s richest mineral sites resulting in what was once the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco. Bisbee’s unique history attracts thousands of tourists worldwide every year. It also boasts of having the "Best Climate Year Round" by the locals. It is one of the few cities in Arizona where you can get a taste of all four seasons. The Copper Queen Mine, located in what is now called Old Bisbee, is a popular tourist stop when visiting the historic town.

Throughout the majority of its history, Texans often had to fight for their freedom and Texan military culture is deeply embedded in what makes Texas, Texas. The Lone Star has been the site of numerous famous battles but these iconic historical events were not just limited to land though, as Texas also has a long history connected to Naval Warfare. In fact, the history of several discontinued warships still lives on in Texas as there still remain several ships, each with a long story to tell long after their service. This begs the question though, what happened to these abandoned warships that led to them laying dormant in the waters of Texas?

The world we know it today is overtly connected in almost every facet whether it is through culture, media, technology or art. Throughout the majority of human history, this was not the case, however, and this global interconnection was only made possible through advanced forms of travel and communication. One cultural marker that points to the transition from global isolation to inclusion is the World Fairs which are also called World Expositions where people from all around the world come and both present and admire scientific, cultural or artistic creations from their peers. There have been several impactful iterations of the World Fair throughout history, but one edition, in particular, was the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago.
For both the city of Chicago and the entire world, the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition left a lasting impact in ways both big and small. For a city that was rebuilding itself after a devastating fire, the Exposition proved as a shining e

Ships have been an integral part of humanity forever. Even very primitive tribes use boats and canoes. There are many kinds of these vessels to imagine wooden, aluminum, and steel. Even concrete ships floated around the world. The wreck of one called the SS Atlantus can be spotted in Cape May, New Jersey. The SS Atlantus is probably the most famous concrete ship. She was built by the Liberty Ship Building Company in Georgia and was the second concrete ship constructed in the World War I Emergency Fleet. SS Atlantus was a 260 feet long cargo ship powered by a steam engine. SS Atlantus could swim at speeds up to 10.5 knots, about 12 mph. The steamer was launched on December 5, 1918.

When you go to the checkout line at a grocery store or when it is time to pay the bill after eating dinner at a restaurant, payment is as simple as handing over your credit card to the cashier or waitress, and with a quick swipe or scan, your debt is paid, and you are on your way. You don’t even need to carry physical paper money as that tiny plastic card is connected to your bank account where you can see your total amount as well as all your transactions at your fingertips on your smartphone. Credit Cards are extremely common in the United States today, in fact, about 79% of Americans have one. But how did we get here? Where did the idea of a credit card come from and what led to its creation? The history and background behind credit cards is actually a long and interesting history that dates all the way back to the earliest forms of trade in human history and the creation of the concept of credit. It is safe to say that credit cards have come a long way before becoming the convenien

The Florida Keys have the Seven Mile Bridge, a part of the 110-mile long Ocean Highway that connects the remote Keys to the mainland. On this drive, you will travel over a truly incredible feat of engineering that, at one point, was the longest continuous concrete bridge in the world. This Bridge has been through a lot. The original bridge, or what the locals like to call the “Old Seven,” consisted of precast concrete and steel girders that enabled it to be constructed within marshland and the sea. However, a series of hurricanes, storms, and saltwater led to its destruction, thus necessitating certain repairs. For this reason, a new and modern bridge had to be constructed to weather the previous engineering faults and meet the increasing vehicular needs of the Keys. Its construction was described as an engineering milestone that has encouraged bridge-building.

When the 4th of July rolls around each year, the first images that probably come to mind are barbeques in your backyard, everything themed in the colors of red, white and blue, American flags everywhere and loud fireworks blasting off once the sun sets. But while you’re participating in one of those hotdog-eating contests or watching a patriotic war movie, have you ever wondered why we Americans celebrate this day and hold it in such high regard?
The 4th of July, or Independence Day, is one of many American Federal Holidays. But even still, Independence Day is far more widely known, more celebrated and frankly, more important than all these other days to most Americans. And the reason for this is because of what this holiday represents for this entire country. The reason for celebration was the passage of the Declaration of Independence way back on July 4th, 1776 which not only officially created the United States of America as a sovereign nation, but it also laid out many of the valu

In this video, we explore the ghost towns that are beneath New York's water reservoirs.
We'll take you on a tour down to the bottom of the Croton Dam in Westchester County and onto the top of the old McConaughy Dam in Lackawanna County.

With a naval tradition as old as the nation itself, the United States Navy has a very storied history. And for many vessels, the end of their journey lies in the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facilities, located all across the country. One of these facilities, located in Bremerton, Washington, has several storied ships that we will explore today.

U.S. Route 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway, was one of the original highways constructed by the U.S. Highway System in 1926. Route 66 is over 90 years old and definitely, a road less traveled. There are plenty of weird attractions to be seen along this iconic road that starts in Chicago and ends in Los Angeles. While much of Route 66 has disappeared following its decommissioning as a major American highway in 1985, there remains plenty of evidence to be seen and cherished by historical and pop-cultural lovers. Large chunks of Route 66-related memorabilia have been preserved at the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum.

The Portland Underground, commonly called the “Shanghai Tunnels,” was a series of bar and hotel basements linked to each other and the Willamette River docks by an intricate system of tunnels under the city streets. “Shanghaiing” refers to the capture and sale of able-bodied men to ship captains needing extra crew. Victims were drugged with opiates, kidnapped while intoxicated, or knocked unconscious. Oral tradition has kept the history of the Portland Underground alive. Today, 150 years after Shanghaiing began you can still view the secrets of the past by visiting the tunnels.

The Space Needle is a 605-foot-tall observation tower that has been a landmark tourist attraction in Seattle, welcoming more than 60 million visitors since it opened on April 21, 1962. It cost 4.5 million to build and precisely 400 days to construct. The Space Needle is a modernistic totem of the Seattle World's Fair. Edward “Eddie” Carlson saw the potential of a Space Age tower as a symbol for the fair and the Seattle skyline. in 1999, the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board approved the designation of the Space Needle as a "historic landmark." The assignment was made official on April 19th by the Seattle City Council.

It is without a doubt that the United States of America, in this current day and age, has the largest, most advanced and most powerful military on the planet. But given that the US is constantly developing new aircraft to full specific roles, making older aircraft obsolete, what happens to these old planes? Once a particular type of plane is no longer needed as a newer and more advanced model has come to take its place, where do the old ones go? Across the country, there are locations known as airplane graveyards where these aircraft go to be either scrapped, sold, maintained or just kept dormant. However, the most famous and the largest of these complexes is the Airplane Graveyard at the Davis-Monthan Base in Tucson, Arizona, which is commonly known as the Boneyard. At this location, there are thousands of planes stationed here, with many of them at their final resting place. The Tucson Boneyard is also a massive tourist attraction and even a pop culture icon, featuring in several pop

The Staten Island Boat Graveyard, located at 2453 Arthur Kill Road in Rossville, was built in the 1930s and went by several different names, such as the Witte Marine Scrap Yard, Arthur Kill Boat Yard, and Tugboat graveyard. Now it’s officially known as the Donjon Iron and Metal Scrap Processing Facility. The Boat Graveyard was once home to as many as 400 vessels. Today, the number has been estimated to be between 25 to 40 decaying ships. The scrapyard is known for its large assortment of obsolete steam tugs, ferries, car floats, and other crafts that have a comprehensive history.

Coal breakers were the machines that broke big chunks of coal into smaller pieces. The coal breaker was the heart of the coal mine. Coal breakers were loud and dirty, and they often needed a lot of maintenance. But without them, the mine would've been useless - even so, they were a horrific place to work.

Hawaii is an incredibly unique state within the USA. But Hawaii’s place in American history and society often has to do with their geographical location as an archipelago at the halfway point of the Pacific Ocean between the United States and Southeast Asia. Inevitably, Hawaii usually finds themselves as an integral part of American Naval History. There are many physical or cultural markers of American Naval History in Hawaii such as prominent naval bases, the thousands of American sailors who live in the state, or even famous events like the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor which led to the American entry into World War II. One particular indication of the intertwined American-Hawaiian Naval History and culture, which also relates to Pearl Harbor are actually the sunken battleships from that attack, which still reside under Hawaii’s waters. During the assault, many American vessels were sunk or damaged including several battleships, many of these ships were able to be repaired and actu

Cog railways have been constructed in mountainous areas or mining operations. Cog railways, also called rack railways, were built to climb mountains using a unique toothed rack rail. The Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire was the first use of this technology in the United States. There are also currently about 50 rack railways throughout the world. The Mount Washington Railway Company or, more familiarly, the Cog Railway, or simply “the Cog,” was chartered by the New Hampshire State Legislature in 1858. Thankfully these railroads are now historical landmarks.

War Thunder is a highly detailed vehicle combat game containing over 2000 playable tanks, aircrafts and ships spanning over 100 years of development. Immerse yourself completely in dynamic battles with an unparalleled combination of realism and approachabilty.

To many around the world and even many Americans themselves, the stereotypical caricature of this country is the Cowboy Culture or the Wild West. These illustrations have been immortalized in many forms of popular media such as film, television, music, books and tall tales. And while the era of the American Wild West has been glorified and glamorized in the past century since it largely came to a close, it definitely does have roots in many truths. In fact, there are many towns and cities across the American Southwest with a history embodying what this era meant. The city of Tombstone, Arizona is a shining example of one of these. Starting off as a small mining town, Tombstone exponentially grew over the years into one of the busiest cities in the region, becoming the site of numerous heroes, villains, gun battles, silver mines, poker rooms, theaters, technological innovation and economic hardship. While the city no longer looks the way it did in the late 1800s, the history of Tombston

The Queens–Midtown Tunnel was first planned in 1921, though the plans for the tunnel were modified over the following years. By the 1930s, the tunnel was being proposed as the Triborough Tunnel, connecting Queens and Brooklyn with Manhattan's east and west sides. Find out when was the Queens Midtown Tunnel built? How was the Queens Midtown Tunnel built? Why does the Queens Midtown Tunnel have doors? Does the Midtown Tunnel flood?

Cabrini-Green, the public housing complex once infamous nationwide as a symbol of crime and urban blight, has been slowly demolished over the past two decades. African American residents were scattered around the city, replaced by new retail and sleek condos for wealthier taxpayers. At one time, the crime-ridden complex was home to 15,000 people. The Neighborhood was near the North Community Area. Formerly “Swede Town” or “Little Sicily” and then “Little Hell,” the site of the Cabrini-Green public housing complex was notorious in the early twentieth century for its inhabitants' poverty and dilapidated buildings.

Governors Island is a small island off the southern tip of Manhattan in New York City. The island has a long and varied history, dating back to the 1600s when it was first used as a Dutch colonial settlement. In the centuries that followed, the island changed hands numerous times, serving as a military base, a quarantine station, and even a dumping ground for trash. In 1996, the island was finally turned over to the people of New York City and has since been redeveloped into a beautiful public park. In this video, we'll take a look at the history of Governors Island and how it came to be the place it is today.

Every single country in the world has their own national monuments, memorials and sites which the people and the culture hold in high regard. The United States of America, being the large and powerful nation that it is today, is of course, no different. Whether it be the Washington Monument, the Statue of Liberty or the White House, the US has no shortage of national symbols. However, one particular monument that is truly iconic and absolutely stunning from an artistic point of view is Mount Rushmore, a massive collection of 60-foot-tall sculptures carved into the Southeastern side of South Dakota Black Hills Mountains featuring the likeness of four of this country’s most influential presidents throughout our history. This site is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the US and has been an important emblem of American history and culture ever since its completion. But what is the history behind the construction of Mount Rushmore and more curiously, why were these four preside

A tunnel between Brooklyn and the Battery in Lower Manhattan was one of several traffic-relief projects in the late 1930s conceived by Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia to remedy vehicular congestion on New York City’s existing thoroughfares. Extending just over 9,000 feet, the tunnel is the longest continuous underwater road in North America. Upon its construction, it has been featured in popular movies, served an essential purpose in one of the city’s darkest days, and was even the cause of some destruction. This New York City tunnel has been a part of many historic moments.

The Casa Grande Domes in Arizona are some of the most unique and interesting structures in the state. But why were they abandoned? In this video, we'll take a look at the history of the Casa Grande Domes and explore the possible reasons for their abandonment. We'll also take a tour of the domes and see what they look like today.

The Mason Dixon line is the product of a famous border dispute. although it does not extend west of the Ohio River, The Mason Dixon Line is a disagreement between Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia, which resulted in the political and social divide between the North and the South. Created in 1767, this dispute occurred from conflicting claims to the territory starting at the Delaware River westward.

World War II was the largest and most devastating conflict in human history, causing untold destruction all across the world as well as massive political and cultural change. To this day there are many markers, remnants or reminders of this devastating war in countries across the world. One need not go that far off the coast of England in order to see what World War II has left behind in the UK. For example, there exists many sea forts, called the Maunsell Sea Forts, which were built to defend British sovereignty against the relentless German bombings throughout the early 1940s. And while the Sea Forts accomplished their goal, proving to be a valuable defense against German planes, their story extends far beyond WWII and even their military service, as after the war these forts became the sites for pirate radio stations, planned explosions and even an independent nation.

Have you ever wondered what is behind the TV screens in time square? One Times Square, also known as the "Crossroads of the World", is a major intersection and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is located at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, and is the site of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop, which attracts over a million spectators each year. The area surrounding Times Square has been home to some of the city's most iconic landmarks and attractions, including the Broadway theaters, hotels, and restaurants. In this video, we'll take a look at the history of One Times Square and how it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

The Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel, about 60 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70, sits at 11,013 feet at the East Portal and 11,158 feet at the West Portal. The Tunnel traverses through the Continental Divide at an average elevation of 11,112 feet. When initially opened in the 1970s, the tunnel was not only the highest vehicular tunnel in the U.S., but it was also the highest in the world at that time. The facility lies entirely within the Arapaho National Forest and is divided by two counties, Clear Creek County at the East Portal and Summit county at the West Portal. The Tunnel and the Continental Divide also separate two watersheds, the Clear Creek Watershed on the east and the Straight Creek Watershed on the west.

Since 1939, a flooded bell tower near the small Russian town of Kalyazin has played the role of the nautical marker, an artificial island in an artificial lake, swim area, and tourist draw. While still, a solid structure visited by tourists and occasionally hosts Orthodox Christian ceremonies, the tower is the last remnant of a monastery hundreds of years old, abruptly erased by the rise of Josef Stalin’s USSR. Today we will discuss the Monasteries that existed before the bell tower, the tower itself, and what exists today.

The "Ghost Fleet" of Mallows Bay is a reference to the hundreds of ships whose remains still rest in its relatively shallow waters. It is the largest collection of wrecks in the Western hemisphere, 230 United States Shipping Board Merchant Fleet Corporation ships sunk in the river.

It is without a doubt that the US is the strongest military power in the world, possessing the most extensive and advanced Armed Forces by some distance. As new military technologies are developed every day and the landscape of modern warfare seemingly changing faster than most are able to keep up with, it is a perfectly reasonable question to wonder what happens to the older military hardware that is now obsolete. As we have looked at on this channel before, old planes are often sent to Aircraft Maintenance facilities to be scrapped or kept in storage with the Tucson Boneyard being a good example of this. But what happens to the warships that are no longer needed? Well, there are numerous paths that an ou

Hoboken was originally an island, surrounded by the Hudson River on the east and tidal lands at the foot of the New Jersey Palisades on the west. It was a seasonal campsite in the territory of Hackensack, a land of the Lenni-Lenape, who used the serpentine rock found there to carve pipes. Hoboken lies on the west bank of the Hudson River between Weehawken and Union City on the north and Jersey City's “county seat” on the south and west. Directly across the Hudson River are the Manhattan, New York City neighborhoods of West Village and Chelsea. The city of Hoboken had a total area of 2.011 square miles, of which 1.275 square miles of it is land and 0.736 square miles of it is water. Hoboken has had its ups and downs and is rich in history. Today we will discuss the rise and fall of Hoboken.

Arizona is one of the most unique states in the US and it contains many notable tourist attractions from the Grand Canyon to the Tucson Airplane Boneyard. But did you know that Arizona is now also the home of the famous London Bridge? Yes, the legendary bridge that is immortalized through nursery rhymes, built in the mid-1800s and used to cross the River Thames in England’s capital over 5,400 miles away past the Continental United States and the Atlantic Ocean, now resides in the Mojave Desert at Lake Havasu. But how did the London Bridge end up in the American Southwest? The story behind this old bridge is one that is both strange and fascinating, and also one that involves many other factors such as the effect of automobiles on architecture, eccentric billionaires, ghost stories and even small towns that were built into cities from the ground up. So without further ado, let’s dive into the history of how London Bridge ended up in Arizona.

When Gustave Eiffel’s company built Paris’ most recognizable monument for the 1889 World’s Fair, many regarded the massive iron structure with skepticism. Today, the Eiffel Tower, which continues to serve an important role in television and radio broadcasts, is considered an architectural wonder and attracts more visitors than any other paid tourist attraction worldwide. More than 7 million people visit this iconic tower every year. Since the tower's 1889 opening, 250 million people worldwide have enjoyed all the Eiffel Tower offers. And it has a lot to offer. The tower's three platforms are home to two restaurants, several buffets, a banquet hall, a champagne bar, and many unique gift shops. Educational tours of the tower are available for children and tourist groups. But one spot has fascinated many—the “secret” apartment.

Texas is one of the most prominent and powerful states in the United States of America today, but did you know that it once was an independent nation? Interestingly enough, Texas’s path to American statehood is a journey filled with enriching history that saw the territory switch nationality a grand total of six times over the course of just four decades. The independent Republic of Texas existed from 1836 to 1846 and the influence of this era can still be felt today among the Texan population who have a culture based on self-sufficiency and self-perseverance. One indicator of the state’s autonomous past can be seen in the remnants of several Texan embassies across the world. In order to build more international support and recognition, the new nation constructed three embassies and legations with one in Washington DC, another in Paris and the most prominent being the London embassy. But what happened to the Texan embassies and what remains of them?

In popular culture, Paris is often seen as one of the most beautiful, romantic and highly visited cities in the world. Upon being a colossal city with over 2.2 million residents, Paris is also one of the most popular tourist attractions for people all across the globe. Being the capital of France, this city also plays an integral part to French history and culture. But did you know that the city possesses a rather sinister, or at least creepy story just below its streets? About 20 meters, or 66 feet, underground, there exists a mass grave containing the bones of millions upon millions of dead Parisians in a massive network of tunnels called the Paris Catacombs. Simply laying eyes on this spot is enough to see its awe-inspiring nature. From walls lined with thousands of skulls to arches made of femurs and ribs, the Catacombs or Ossuaries as they are sometimes called, were built as a solution to overcrowded graves in central Paris. But over the years it has become a tourist attraction as

Behind every majestic monument is a story or cause sought to be immortalized. But once their catalysts are forgotten, the once revered structures fall into ruin. Such is the fate of many Soviet Era buildings like the fascinating Buzludzha Monument, which sits on the peak it was named after in central Bulgaria. Known as “Bulgaria’s UFO,” the Buzludzha Monument hides in the Balkans as the former Bulgarian Communist Party Headquarters and has become one of the most unusual spots in the country. Today we will discuss this remarkable monument. I’m your host Ryan Socash, and you're watching it’s history.

A graveyard of steam trains, abandoned against the stark backdrop of the salt flats. Their cars sit scattered about like a set of forgotten children’s toys in the Bolivian desert, all left to quietly rust away. This is a real place, and these trains sit abandoned, yet not forgotten—they stand today as remnants of a time long past, carrying precious materials out to the Pacific Ports. So what could have led to this massive graveyard of trains? Well, it’s a complicated story.

The neighborhood we know today as Pullman was the first industrial planned community in the U.S., explicitly built for the Pullman Palace Car Company employees. George Pullman set out to create a utopia society in Chicago. He wanted the community to attract and retain the most talented workers available and hope to do so by providing such a high standard of living that workers would be happy, productive, and less likely to strike. Pullman is one of Chicago’s 77 defined community areas and is a neighborhood located on the city's South side, Twelve miles from the Chicago Loop. Situated adjacent to Lake Calumet, the Pullman district has many historic and architecturally significant buildings.. some of which have seen better times. So join me, as we discover the Rise and Fall of Chicago’s Pullman District. Named after George Pullman, the company that built it and owned it for most of its existence, the Pullman district was a planned industrial community for workers. It was the birthpla

The British-made Horsa gliders are by far one of the most notable gliders used in World War II; being key parts of the storming of Normandy and Operation Tonga. However, pilots experienced many different dangers well before they even entered enemy territory—today on It’s History, we will discover them.

Alcatraz is most known for housing incredibly dangerous convicts, as well as its history of prison break attempts. But did you know that there is a largely undisturbed system of tunnels just beneath the surface? Today on It’s History, we will discover their story.

Origins of the Parkway can be traced back to 1946 and ’47 when construction began on the road designed to connect the bustling metropolis of North Jersey with the much more relaxing lifestyle along the Jersey Shore down to Cape May. Originally named the Route 4 Parkway or Route 444 because it was designed to bypass State Route 4, which ran up and down the shore, the first 11 miles of the Parkway, between mile markers 129 and 140, opened in 1950. From then on, the highway continued to grow and is arguably responsible for much of the development that we see today that's up and down the coastline of New Jersey. Today we will discuss The Garden State Parkway. I’m your host Ryan Socash, and you’re watching “it’s history.”

In this video, I'll go through the history of the Liberty Ship. You'll learn about how the United States government commissioned shipbuilders to construct a mass-produced cargo ship in 1941 that would help with shipping and logistics during WWII. You'll also learn about some of the major events in Liberty Ship history, what other types of ships were developed alongside it, and how it eventually played an important role.

The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair was a world's fair that held over 140 pavilions and 110 restaurants, representing 80 nations (hosted by 37), 24 US states, and over 45 corporations with the goal and the final result of building exhibits or attractions at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City.[1][2][3] The immense fair covered 646 acres (2.61 km2) on half the park, with numerous pools or fountains, and an amusement park with rides near the lake. However, the fair did not receive official support or approval from the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE).

Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding", dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe". American companies dominated the exposition as exhibitors. The theme was symbolized by a 12-story-high, stainless-steel model of the Earth called the Unisphere, built on the foundation of the Perisphere from the 1939 World

The Hell Gate Bridge, originally the New York Connecting Railroad Bridge[2] or the East River Arch Bridge, is a 1,017-foot (310 m) steel through arch railroad bridge in New York City. Originally built for four tracks, the bridge currently carries two tracks of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and one freight track across the Hell Gate, a strait of the East River, between Astoria in Queens and Randalls and Wards Islands in Manhattan.

The arch across the Hell Gate is the largest of three bridges that form the Hell Gate railroad viaduct. An inverted bowstring truss bridge with four 300-foot (91.4 m) spans crosses the Little Hell Gate, a former strait that is now filled in, and a 350-foot (106.7 m) fixed truss bridge crosses the Bronx Kill, a strait now narrowed by fill. Together with approaches, the bridges are more than 17,000 feet (3.2 mi; 5.2 km) long.[4] The designs of the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle, England, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in New South Wales, Australia, were derived from the

The Devonport Royal Dockyard currently houses thirteen nuclear-powered submarines—many of which still have their nuclear cores intact. Today on It’s History, we will discover this incredible dockyard, as well as the dangers that come along with its preservation.

Wacker Drive is a major multilevel street in Chicago, Illinois, running along the south side of the main branch and the east side of the south branch of the Chicago River in the Loop.[2] The vast majority of the street is double-decked; the upper level is intended for local traffic, and the lower level for through traffic and trucks serving buildings on the road (and originally a dock). It is sometimes cited as a precursor to the modern freeway, though when it was built the idea was that pleasure vehicles would use the upper level. It is the only street in the city that is prefixed with all four cardinal directions, albeit on different parts of its route.[a] The drive is named for early 20th century Chicago businessman and city planner Charles H. Wacker. The upper level is normally known as Upper Wacker Drive, and the lower level is Lower Wacker Drive. A short part has a third level, sometimes called Lower Lower Wacker Drive[3] or Sub Lower Wacker Drive.

As a building with a history as odd as it is tragic, the Cliff House is by far one of San Francisco’s most iconic historical sites. Today on It’s History, we will uncover this history and one of its strangest and most dangerous accidents.

The Cliff House is a neo-classical style building perched on the headland above the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach in the Outer Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The building overlooks the site of the Sutro Baths ruins, Seal Rocks, and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, operated by the National Park Service (NPS). The NPS owns the Cliff House; the building's terrace hosts a room-sized camera obscura. For most of the Cliff House's history, since 1863, the building's main draw has been restaurants and bars where patrons could enjoy the Pacific Ocean views. Since 1977, these restaurants and bars have been run by a private operator under contract with the National Park Service. In December 2020, the 47-year operator

Immigration is not a new phenomenon. Ellis Island has been the port of entry for many people coming to the US, and sometimes immigrants would be separated from their loved ones during the process. This separation could be for several reasons: some people were considered contagious, some had evidence of communicable diseases, and sometimes families were just separated for administrative purposes.
This video will show you what happened when families were split up and how it impacted those who lived through these difficult moments.

In early colonial times, letter writers sent their correspondence to friends, merchants, and Native Americans via foot or horseback. Most of this correspondence, however, was between the colonists and family members back home in England. In 1633, the first official notice of postal service in the colonies appeared. At the heart of the “mailing industry” is the U.S. Postal Service, which has been active for over two centuries. An explosion of mail in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century drove post offices and large-volume mailers to work together to handle mail more efficiently.

In Tuckerton, NJ, a massive cement monolith sits out of place, and upon closer inspection, out of time. You see, this gigantic block was once the base of the tallest structure in North America and the second tallest in the world after the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1912, the Tuckerton tower stood at 825 feet and was the first and most potent transatlantic broadcasting tower ever, but here’s the twist, although it was on US soil, it was entirely built by and belonged to Germany.

id you know that Chicago has a massive building with its own zip code? That’s right, and in 1930, the Merchandise mart opened its doors to the world as the largest building in the world. The 4 million square foot area served such a large influx of visitors daily that it required its own L stop and connection to Chicago’s now abandoned 60 miles of underground freight tunnel.

Perhaps what mystifies me most is that Merchandise Mart was built above a massive train yard and that, for many decades, sub-terrain freight train delivery was possible in the heart of Chicago. This near-century-old art deco masterpiece still stands on the bank of the Chicago river and serves around 20,000 people daily in modern times.

The Free City of Danzig (German: Freie Stadt Danzig; Polish: Wolne Miasto Gdańsk; Kashubian: Wòlny Gard Gduńsk) was a city-state under the protection of the League of Nations between 1920 and 1939, consisting of the Baltic Sea port of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland) and nearly 200 other small localities in the surrounding areas. Today we discover what remains of the lost nations border marker.

The Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad (reporting mark CNSM), also known as the North Shore Line, was an interurban railroad that operated passenger and freight service over an 88.9-mile (143.1 km) route between the Chicago Loop and downtown Milwaukee, as well as an 8.6-mile (13.8 km) branch line between the villages of Lake Bluff and Mundelein, Illinois. The North Shore Line also provided streetcar, city bus, and motor coach services along its interurban route. Extensively improved under the one-time owner of Samuel Insull, the North Shore Line was notable for its high operating speeds and substantial physical plant, as well as innovative services such as its pioneering "ferry truck" operations and its streamlined Electroliner trainsets. Author and railroad historian William D. Middleton described the North Shore Line as a "super interurban"56  and opined that its cessation of rail service marked the end of the "interurban era" in the United States. Since 1964, the Yellow Line

According to Nexstar Media Inc in 2022 About 50% of the power produced at Hoover Dam still goes to California. Nevada gets about 22% and Arizona gets 20%. Contracts managed by the Department of Energy control the power distribution, and Native American tribes are also among the dam's customers. But what is this dam's history and how did it come to be? Why is the hoover dam so famous? Is the Hoover Dam the biggest dam in the world? Facts about Hoover Dam.

Once one of America’s largest cities, Detroit was famously both a behemoth in automobile production and the birthplace of Motown. In recent years, however, it has been amid a financial and social decline—but it was not always this way. Today we will discover the rise and fall of Detroit.

In the late 19th century, the Gillender building was finished. Even though it was regarded as one of the marvels of New York City and was once one of the tallest buildings in the world, now, its former footprint in the city has been consumed by another iconic skyscraper, and all evidence of the Gillender Building is either erased or buried underneath it. So what caused such a great building to be demolished so quickly? Today we discover the rise and fall of the Gillender Building.

Chicago's grain elevators were created for agricultural trade but destroyed by greed; although the city once had over 300 towering structures, nothing remains but the wealth that shaped the city. Join us in discovering this tale of Urban Decay.

This year, the last four domes of the famed Cape Romano Dome House fell to Hurricane Ian. Though it now sits beneath the waves in its final resting place, it was a self-sufficient marvel in its heyday. Today on It’s History, we will discover its story.