The man behind the Preakness' iconic weathervane, which features every winner's name

Inside the pigeon race with $50K at stake

More than 1,000 pigeons are released each year at the American Racing Pigeon Union convention as owners wait to see which of the birds arrives home first. This essay unwraps the niche activity's paradoxical love for the birds despite its at times utilitarian treatment of them.

The origins and evolution of the Triple Crown

For nearly 100 years we’ve referred to the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes as the “Triple Crown.” But where did that term come from? It was popularized by a sports writer in the early 1930s. But this Old Smoke Clothing article, authored by the woman who wrote the book on Sir Barton, explores the British origins and how it gained popularity with Gallant Fox’s win in 1930.

Washington sat for a portrait at least 12 times during his career

Those sittings were primarily for painter Charles Willson Peale. Without photographs, capturing the accurate physique of the tall, commanding Washington is difficult—but you can get a sense of his appearance with this collection of paintings over several decades.

Visualizing 100 years of Pulitzers

This fascinating data visualization breaks down a century of Pulitzer Prizes. Award categories are laid out against a timeline, and the symbols used to represent each winner indicate the topic of the winning work; the number of prizes won by that outlet thus far; and whether the prize was awarded to an individual or a newsroom. For the best viewing experience, zoom in using the magnifying glass on the cursor until it hits full-screen mode.

Lady Wonder, the horse with supposed clairvoyant powers

Lady Wonder became widely known as a horse that shared her special powers by spelling out words by using blocks with letters. She reportedly helped solve the case of a missing young boy while also offering advice and sports predictions.

Rams player Fred Gehrke painted the NFL's first logo helmet

When the Rams took the field for their first preseason game of the 1948 season, they exited the tunnel with hand-painted ram horns on their helmets. It was the first logo painted on an NFL helmet and fans gave a 5-minute standing ovation.

August A. Busch, Sr. was gifted a six-horse Clydesdale hitch to celebrate Prohibition’s end

This helped reveal the marketing power of a horse-drawn beer wagon, so it invested in a second six-horse Clydesdale hitch. The Clydesdales soon went to New York, where they drew a crowd of thousands en route to the Empire State Building. Anheuser-Busch even gifted a case of Budweiser to New York Governor Alfred E. Smith in thanks for his help in the fight against Prohibition.

Fallingwater revived Frank Lloyd Wright’s career at age 67

A series of scandals and financial setbacks made Wright lose his previous relevance, leaving the public to view him as a “has-been.” Following the creation of Fallingwater, a masterpiece set atop a waterfall, Wright saw an uptick in commissions and continued to produce inspired buildings at an age that many others would retire by.

The story of Vince Lombardi, coaching legend

Born in Brooklyn in 1913, Vince Lombardi is best known for his time as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1959 to 1967, when he led the team to five national championships over seven years. His all-out approach and inspiring one-liners have left an indelible mark on the game, causing the league to name the NFL's highest trophy—the one awarded to the Super Bowl winner—after him. Read up on the legend here.

Aaron Douglas' art defined the visual aesthetic of the Harlem Renaissance

Douglas learned about Harlem's cultural scene while teaching high school in Kansas City and was eventually recruited to New York by Charles S. Johnson, the editor of the National Urban League's periodical. Soon, Douglas was illustrating periodicals and books affiliated with the movement. In 1934, the Works Progress Administration commissioned him to paint the "Aspects of Negro Life" murals. One of those murals, "Song of the Towers," pictured below, portrays Black life during the Harlem Renaissance.

The Judgment of Paris was organized by Steve Spurrier

The English wine merchant organized the competition with Patricia Gallagher at his Paris wine shop. In this in-depth interview, he talks about how he got into the wine trade, how the Judgment of Paris impacted his own career and the global wine scene, and tells some of his favorite stories from the past.

Only four people have officially engraved the Stanley Cup

For its over 100-year history, the names of every player, coach, and GM to win the Stanley Cup is etched into the silver rings. And despite technological advances, the Cup is still engraved by hand.

North Carolina adopted 'First in Flight' license plates in 1982—to snarky reviews

Many locals surfaced the irony of enshrining the accomplishments of two men from Ohio on the license plates of North Carolinans. Nonetheless, the style endures to this day, alongside Ohio’s “Birthplace of Aviation.”

The story behind the formation of the original PGA

The early 1900s saw a surge in golf courses across America, and there was a need for a national organization of golf professionals to help promote and grow the sport. This history explores how department store heir Rodman Wanamaker organized a luncheon that led to the formation of the PGA of America.

Gary Panter designed punk flyers before building the surreal world of Pee-wee Herman

The illustrator’s anxiety-ridden comics adorned flyers for LA punk bands, defining a distinctive aesthetic for the burgeoning genre. That work caught the eye of Paul Reubens, who was staging a late-night show with his persona Pee-wee Herman.

Go behind the scenes at the Macy’s Parade Studio

With dozens of balloons and floats, and thousands of costumes, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade requires year-round planning to pull off. Go behind the scenes with the designers and builders who make the magic happen. See how the floats come together and what makes this annual spectacle a reality.

The usual rules of fate do not apply': Race car driver-turned-ace WWI fighter pilot survives being lost at sea

Eddie Rickenbacker had an amazing career as a World War I hero, fighter pilot, and race care driver, among other accomplishments. This restored footage of an short 12-minute documentary about his early life, war stories, and survival at sea for 24 days provides amazing insight on a truly American character.

A graffiti artist breaks down the fundamentals of the form

Graffiti is more than just tagging a name. Legendary street artist Carlos Mare, also known as Mare 139, breaks down how to paint several of the form's popular styles and motifs, from quickly drawn throwies to intricately planned masterpieces.

The Indianapolis 500 has been tied to Memorial Day weekend since the very first race in 1911

Organizers chose Decoration Day (now Memorial Day) because local farmers had finished haying and the holiday drew big crowds. The race has run around Memorial Day ever since, with the only exceptions being a few weather delays, the two World Wars, and the 2020 pandemic.

An artist recreated Stonehenge as a bounce house in 2012

Though Stonehenge is sacred to many modern druids and pagans, artist Jeremy Deller reimagined it as a giant inflatable bouncy house—touring Paris, London’s 2012 Olympics, and even Stonehenge itself.

The Eye of Providence on $1 bills is a lightning rod for conspiracy theorists

The symbol is associated with the Freemasons, one of the world’s oldest secret societies. It also appears on churches, Masonic buildings, and the great seal of the United States.

Legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed the SC Johnson headquarters in Wisconsin, aiming to make a cathedral-like workplace

The remarkable journey of 'Jeopardy'-winner Harvey Silikovitz

Harvey Silikovitz first auditioned for to play on "Jeopardy" in 2001. Twenty-four years later, Silikovitz got the rare chance to appear on the show and won a whopping $23,600 cash prize. Read his journey to see how the attorney went from initially hating the game show to becoming a "Jeopardy" champion.

Their 1901 Wind Tunnel system revolutionized the study of aeronautics

Only the second to be built in the US, the wind tunnel allowed the brothers to study how air moves around more than 200 different wing shapes. This data helped them refine a key math equation, long held as the standard, that had been based only on one wing shape.

Boston police told Stravinsky he had ‘tampered’ with ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’

There’s no national standard for arranging the national anthem, though it can be a different story on the state level. Conductor Igor Stravinsky learned that in 1944, when the Boston police commissioner visited his dressing room to warn him about a Massachusetts law against “tampering” with national property.

Double world record holder Hunter Ewen helped conquer his fear of balloons, called globophobia, by training to win Guinness World Record titles for balloon inflation.

Each person on a racing pit crew has a specific task

No matter what track a NASCAR driver is on, they will eventually need a pit stop to change tires and add fuel. When the cars skid into their pit box, every millisecond counts. This long-form documentary from Joe Gibbs Racing shows the training each pit crew member goes through.

The Mona Lisa's celebrity status and repeated restorations have obscured what made the painting so revolutionary for its time

American short story writer Flannery O'Connor raised 40 peacocks, which became potent symbols for her fiction's elegant violence

Exploring the Larry Bird punch that almost changed March Madness

Hear about the 250-year history of the United States Postal Service, complete with some of its strangest deliveries, important innovations, and the figures that made it an American institution.

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

'Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone,' a work by American painter Thomas Moran, inspired Congress to establish Yellowstone National Park.

Brandi Chastain, the star of the 1999 US victory over China in the 1999 Women's World Cup, was a last-second choice to take the penalty kick that sealed the victory.

See how Budweiser's famous Clydesdales spend their days at Warm Springs Ranch, where roughly 70 to 80 of the beer brand's giant horses can be found at any given time.

The tragic Pulitzer Prize-winning image 'The Vulture and the Little Girl' (1993) generated controversy, raised concerns about ethics in photography, and eventually led to the photographer's death.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

Mid-century modern graphic designers, known for their bright colors and bold lines in advertising, also found success with children's books.

Dorothy's famous entrance into Oz in 'The Wizard of Oz' relied on analog tricks, including a body double and sepia-toned paint, as much as it did on technology

Power lines are dotted with large, brightly colored balls to improve the visibility of these thin wires to helicopters and small planes and help prevent potential crashes.

Many legends about George Washington, including his supposed wooden teeth and the story of cutting down the cherry tree, lack evidence.

Search a massive database of over 4 decades of clues from the TV quiz show 'Jeopardy!'

Meet the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence—most of whom didn't put pen to paper until August 2, 1776—and see their original signatures.

Warren Buffett's former professor Benjamin Graham is known as the 'father of value investing,' a strategy in which investors seek to buy stocks trading below their intrinsic worth.

The animatronic shark from Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws,' the first modern blockbuster, was a complex underwater apparatus called 'Bruce.'

Learn more about the history of fireworks, which dates back to an accidental invention during an alchemist's quest for information about immortality.

A small portion of The Winstons' 'Amen, Brother,' an obscure '60s gospel record, is the basis for thousands of hip-hop tracks, making it one of the most sampled records ever that's informally known as 'the Amen break.'

Poison ivy can cause rashes year-round since all parts of the plant contain urushiol, the oil that triggers our allergic response.

Visualize the path of every solar eclipse from 1900 to 2099 and see what each looks like when observed from different locations on Earth.

Chaos theory—informally known as the butterfly effect—is the reason why weather forecasts are presented with probabilities rather than certainties.