Eric Christensen
@echristensen.bsky.social
love, truth, beauty, corn, and a little democracy … an old, long-haired, noble-fared, leaping gnome
I love to share the things I am learning. Sometimes my histories will cover significant events, and sometimes they will just be fun. I may not be able to be able to post a history every day, but I want to post as many as possible in response to sycophants who are desperately trying to erase history.
November 21, 2025 at 5:42 PM
I love to share the things I am learning. Sometimes my histories will cover significant events, and sometimes they will just be fun. I may not be able to be able to post a history every day, but I want to post as many as possible in response to sycophants who are desperately trying to erase history.
Image, from the National Park Service, shows the “Colter Stone” discovered by a farmer in 1933. (6/6)
November 21, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Image, from the National Park Service, shows the “Colter Stone” discovered by a farmer in 1933. (6/6)
The rock has not been verified to have been left by John Colter, but modern experts have determined the carving to be the proper age to be genuine. (5/6)
November 21, 2025 at 5:42 PM
The rock has not been verified to have been left by John Colter, but modern experts have determined the carving to be the proper age to be genuine. (5/6)
In 1933, a farmer in Idaho found a carved rock near the route that Colter had taken. The rock was carved in the shape of a head and had the name John Colter carved on one side and the date 1808 carved on the other. (4/6)
November 21, 2025 at 5:41 PM
In 1933, a farmer in Idaho found a carved rock near the route that Colter had taken. The rock was carved in the shape of a head and had the name John Colter carved on one side and the date 1808 carved on the other. (4/6)
When Colter returned to the fort and made reports of tall geysers, bubbling mudpots, and steaming ponds, he was ridiculed, and the region was referred to as “Colter’s Hell” until others also discovered it and verified his reports. (3/6)
November 21, 2025 at 5:41 PM
When Colter returned to the fort and made reports of tall geysers, bubbling mudpots, and steaming ponds, he was ridiculed, and the region was referred to as “Colter’s Hell” until others also discovered it and verified his reports. (3/6)
Lisa then sent Colter on an additional journey to find the winter quarters of the Crow tribe to establish trading agreements with them. On this journey, Colter became the first white man to discover the wonders of what is now Yellowstone National Park. (2/6)
November 21, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Lisa then sent Colter on an additional journey to find the winter quarters of the Crow tribe to establish trading agreements with them. On this journey, Colter became the first white man to discover the wonders of what is now Yellowstone National Park. (2/6)
I love to share the things I am learning. Sometimes my histories will cover significant events, and sometimes they will just be fun. I may not be able to be able to post a history every day, but I want to post as many as possible in response to sycophants who are desperately trying to erase history.
November 20, 2025 at 6:32 PM
I love to share the things I am learning. Sometimes my histories will cover significant events, and sometimes they will just be fun. I may not be able to be able to post a history every day, but I want to post as many as possible in response to sycophants who are desperately trying to erase history.
Image—from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office—shows the illustration page from the patent application filed by Pierre Lallement for his “Improvement in Velocipedes.” (4/4)
November 20, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Image—from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office—shows the illustration page from the patent application filed by Pierre Lallement for his “Improvement in Velocipedes.” (4/4)
In addition to powering the newly designed velocipede with foot pedals, Lallement also added a metal spring beneath the seat, making a more comfortable ride. Lallement was inducted into the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame in 2005. (3/4)
November 20, 2025 at 6:31 PM
In addition to powering the newly designed velocipede with foot pedals, Lallement also added a metal spring beneath the seat, making a more comfortable ride. Lallement was inducted into the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame in 2005. (3/4)
Previous two-wheeled vehicles—known as velocipedes, dandy horses, hobby horses, or swiftwalkers—were powered by the riders’ feet upon the ground. (2/4)
November 20, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Previous two-wheeled vehicles—known as velocipedes, dandy horses, hobby horses, or swiftwalkers—were powered by the riders’ feet upon the ground. (2/4)
I love to share the things I am learning. Sometimes my histories will cover significant events, and sometimes they will just be fun. I may not be able to be able to post a history every day, but I want to post as many as possible in response to sycophants who are desperately trying to erase history.
November 19, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I love to share the things I am learning. Sometimes my histories will cover significant events, and sometimes they will just be fun. I may not be able to be able to post a history every day, but I want to post as many as possible in response to sycophants who are desperately trying to erase history.
Image—from an ebay listing—shows a copy of a wood-cut engraving by Thomas Nast that was published in “Harper’s Weekly” in January 1878 depicting Boss Tweed in a prison uniform. (5/5)
November 19, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Image—from an ebay listing—shows a copy of a wood-cut engraving by Thomas Nast that was published in “Harper’s Weekly” in January 1878 depicting Boss Tweed in a prison uniform. (5/5)
The story of this historical period helps teach us that there is always hope that corrupt political machines can be defeated in the courts. (4/5)
November 19, 2025 at 5:33 PM
The story of this historical period helps teach us that there is always hope that corrupt political machines can be defeated in the courts. (4/5)
After being released from jail, convicted again on civil charges, then escaping and fleeing the country before being recaptured, Boss Tweed died in a New York City jail in April 1878. (3/5)
November 19, 2025 at 5:33 PM
After being released from jail, convicted again on civil charges, then escaping and fleeing the country before being recaptured, Boss Tweed died in a New York City jail in April 1878. (3/5)
As a state senator and the “Grand Sachem” of Tammany Hall (the most powerful Democratic lobby in New York at the time), Boss Tweed had been able to pass a new city charter that gave him and his associates control over the city treasury, which he and his cronies used to enrich themselves. (2/5)
November 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
As a state senator and the “Grand Sachem” of Tammany Hall (the most powerful Democratic lobby in New York at the time), Boss Tweed had been able to pass a new city charter that gave him and his associates control over the city treasury, which he and his cronies used to enrich themselves. (2/5)
I love to share the things I am learning. Sometimes my histories will cover significant events, and sometimes they will just be fun. I may not be able to be able to post a history every day, but I want to post as many as possible in response to sycophants who are desperately trying to erase history.
November 18, 2025 at 9:35 PM
I love to share the things I am learning. Sometimes my histories will cover significant events, and sometimes they will just be fun. I may not be able to be able to post a history every day, but I want to post as many as possible in response to sycophants who are desperately trying to erase history.
Image—from a Posterazzi listing—is a poster showing the 1883 time zone boundaries compared to today’s boundaries, and it also shows the time differences between the major cities before 1883. (5/5)
November 18, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Image—from a Posterazzi listing—is a poster showing the 1883 time zone boundaries compared to today’s boundaries, and it also shows the time differences between the major cities before 1883. (5/5)
Localities quickly accepted the time zones to keep the railroads happy, but time zones were not officially established until the Standard Time Act of 1918, which also established Daylight Savings Time as an efficiency measure during the First World War. (4/5)
November 18, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Localities quickly accepted the time zones to keep the railroads happy, but time zones were not officially established until the Standard Time Act of 1918, which also established Daylight Savings Time as an efficiency measure during the First World War. (4/5)
The time zones consisted of what we still know as the Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Times; and Canada also had a fifth zone on the eastern end of the country known as Atlantic Time (originally called Intercolonial Time). (3/5)
November 18, 2025 at 9:34 PM
The time zones consisted of what we still know as the Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Times; and Canada also had a fifth zone on the eastern end of the country known as Atlantic Time (originally called Intercolonial Time). (3/5)
Prior to this, each city observed its own local time, and the scheduling of trains had become nearly impossible. (2/5)
November 18, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Prior to this, each city observed its own local time, and the scheduling of trains had become nearly impossible. (2/5)