Bite-Sized History

BITE-SIZED HISTORY

Razor-sharp, bite-sized history lessons for macabre readers.

6 days ago

Weird History: How a Dead Man Won the Race

This week's weird history lesson comes from a 1923 issue of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, when writer W.C. Vreeland covered a very unique...

Sep 15

Weird History: Sacrilegious Forks

Forks are a practical utensil that helps us to eat all kinds of different foods. So, naturally, people used to think forks were the work...

Sep 1

Weird History: Your Cat Can Be the Mayor

We are going to veer away from murder and mayhem and poisonous colors this week to look a more delightful side of history. Because even...

Aug 25

Weird History: Crinoline Fires

We're heading back to the Victorian era for this week's history lesson, because Victorian history is just teeming with bizarre and...

Aug 18

Weird History: The Bleeding House on Fountain Drive

You know when you get home after a long day and your walls start to drip blood? No? Good. Because, apparently, this is an option. Today,...

Aug 11

Weird History: The Woman Who Froze to Death and Survived

Jean Hillard was 19 years old on the night of December 20, 1980—when her car ran into a ditch in Lengby, Minnesota. What happened next...

Aug 4

Weird History: 20th Century Axe Murders

Axe murders are horrifying enough, but the similarities between high profile axe murders seen across the world in the early 20th century...

Jul 28

Weird History: Bog Bodies

I was a tragedy kid growing up in the sense that I read everything I could about macabre histories. The sinking of the Titanic. The...

Jul 21

Weird History: The Safety Coffin

Ever wake up unground and realize you've been buried alive? No? Well, back in the day, it was a legitimate concern. In fact, it was such...

Jul 14

Weird History Poll Results

The results are in and it looks like you want us to keep on providing weird little history lessons each week! Those lessons will resume...

Jul 7

Tell Us What You Want to Read!

Hi all! We're still looking for more input on what you'd like to read from Frightful every Friday. We've gotten a few votes on our poll...

Jun 30

Weird History Poll

Hello all! While we love history here at Frightful, there has been less interest in our history lessons than our interviews, essays, and...

Jun 23

Weird History: Rabbits Beating Up Napoléon

When you spend a vast amount of time researching the odder ends of history, you start to see Napoléon Bonaparte's name all over the...

Jun 16

Weird History: Island of the Dolls

It sounds like a 1970s B-movie: Island of the Dolls. Only, this is a real place you can visit. Seriously. Just remember though that dolls...

Jun 9

Weird History: The Unexplainable Erdington Murders

trigger warning: sexual assault Mary Ashford and Barbara Forrest were killed at the same age, on the same day, in the same UK suburb....

Jun 2

Weird History: Dead Men's Teeth

If you know one thing about horror writers, it's that we all have this weird, inexplicable fascination with human teeth. You'd be...

May 26

Weird History: Were the Pollock Twins Reincarnated?

John and Florence Pollock had six children by the time they were living in Hexham, England during the 1950s. On May 5, 1957, tragedy...

May 19

Weird History: A Murderous Fluffle of Cauldrons

Historically speaking, words are weird. There are a lot of terms floating around out there, especially in the collective noun corner of...

May 12

Weird History: Shipping a Baby in the Mail

Have you ever considered slapping a stamp on your baby and dropping them in the mailbox? Because in the early 20th century, you could...

May 5

Weird History: That Time France Built a Fake Paris

During World War I, France was bombed significantly by German forces. It started around 1914 and was becoming increasingly dangerous for...

Apr 28

Weird History: A Real Corpse in the Funhouse

You ever go to a haunted house attraction only to later learn that one of the "props" was actually the mummified corpse of a...

Apr 21

Weird History: The Great Dane Who Won a World War II Medal

Forgive the language, but have you ever taken a really good piss? In 1941, a Great Dane named Juliana did. In fact, it was so good that...

Apr 14

Weird History: Victorian Mustache Cups

A mustache cup is exactly what the tittle suggests: it's a cup that takes into consideration the care of an expertly styled mustache....

Apr 7

Weird History: The Poetry Book Bound in Human Skin

Let's talk about George Cudmore's skin. But, first, let's talk about George Cudmore. In 1830, George Cudmore was hanged for the murder of...

Mar 31

Weird History: When the Color Green Could Kill You

Scheele's green is a vibrant shade of emerald green invented during the 19th century and popularized during the Victorian era. From silk...

Mar 24

Weird History: Victorian Ice Cream Flavors

What's your favorite ice cream flavor? Mine used to be cotton candy. Now, it's probably salted caramel or something with peanut butter...

Mar 12

Weird History: A Recipe for Ectoplasm

Most historical accounts of Spiritualism start with the Fox Sisters in 1848. The Fox sisters were three preteen and teenage girls in...