pennsylvania Archives - Useless Information

Useless Information

Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

Gift of 4-Tons of Fertilizer

Published on December 24, 2020

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

Back in 1945, Norval H. Milliken received a very unusual Christmas gift: 4-tons of manure. It took some detective work to figure out who sent it.

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Legal to Fly Airplanes on Sunday

Published on November 20, 2020

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Tidbits

In 1919, Lieut. John C. Howard was cited for carrying passengers in his airplane on the Sabbath. Were the charges upheld or thrown out by the court?

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Wife’s First Husband Found Alive

Published on April 14, 2020

Posted in: Love & Marriage, Tidbits

Nettie A. Smith's first two husbands had died, so she married for a third time. To her surprise, her first husband, whom she hadn't seen in thirty-five years, was still alive. Which husband would she choose?

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The Walking Murphys – Podcast #116

Published on October 25, 2018

Posted in: Forgotten History, Fraud & Deception, Podcast

Long-forgotten story of Robert Murphy and his family as they were walking through Pennsylvania. A great story of how a community came together to help others in need.

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Dick the Dog – Podcast #111

Published on April 30, 2018

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Podcast

Jacob Silverman made national headlines in 1922 for the crime of owning a dog named Dick. Pennsylvania's Alien Dog Law forbid unnaturalized residents from owning dogs and required the dogs be killed.

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Millionaire for a Day – Podcast #99

Published on November 28, 2016

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Forgotten History, Law & Order, Podcast

What should a political party do if they do not want the winner of the primary on the ballot? Butch McDevitt was such a man back in 1911.

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New Leg for Christmas

Published on December 20, 2015

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Science, Technology & Medicine, Tidbits

Earl Baker lost his leg in 1938. After a cruel hoax, the residents of Coatesville, PA chipped in to purchase an artificial limb for the boy.

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