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Bloody Island- Refuge of the Code Duello
In 1800, a sandbar rose from the waters of the Mississippi River outside St. Louis. Cottonwood trees and other vegetation grew up on the mile long island. Soon the “towhead” became a favorite refuge for illegal activities. Because the island was outside the realm of local authorities, boxing and cock fights took place there. However, most notably duelists found their way to there. In the 18th and 19th century, affairs of honor were often settled by a duel. The Code Duello was an elaborate set of rules to ensure the honor of all was satisfied. Prominent men of the day were not immune to duels. Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton…
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The Founding of Constantinople
Byzantium was an old city. There had been a settlement on the banks of the Bosphorus since the 5th century BCE. Its strategic position guarding the strait from the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea made it an important waterway for trade all the way from Western Europe to Asia.By the time of Constantine the Great, it was being revamped into a commemorative treasure city, but circumstances in Rome changed. At the Battle of Milvian Bridge, Constantine underwent some sort of spiritual con [...]
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Kaskaskia- Illinois’ first capital
This is the strange sad tale of a once booming town in Illinois that ended up a ghost town in Missouri. Legend says it was due to a curse, and whether or not you believe in curses, it certainly seemed like Kaskaskia was plagued with bad luck. The village of Kaskaskia was founded in 1703 where the river of the same name flowed into the Mississippi. The Native American tribe of the same name migrated south with French missionaries and fur traders. The French settlers married the Native American converts to Catholism and settled in to building a thriving town. By 1711, agriculture had become more important than the original…
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Historical Towns Series – Exton, Rutland
So we covered Whissendine in the last installment, now we are going to move a few miles away, back towards Stamford, but staying this side of the border, to the village of Exton. Everybody sitting comfortably? Good. Lets start by recapping on a few of the key points covered in the Whissendine post and you will being to see why we had to cover that first, and how it connects. If it helps, feel free to go back and refresh your memories. So we saw how Waltheof, Earl of Huntingdon and Northumberland owned the manors of Whissendine, and following his execution by his wife’s uncle William, Duke of Normandy, now…
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Historical Towns Series – Whissendine, Rutland
Rutland is the smallest county in England, at around 147 square miles with a population of only 35,000 people. Made up of several small villages, it nestles quietly between several larger counties, including Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Cambridge in the East Midlands. At its longest point it is 18 miles north to south and at its widest point, 17 miles east to west. It is a charming quiet area, rural and recently voted the best place to live in England. As we journey through this tiny county, there is a wealth of history and it becomes obvious how much this tiny little county has contributed to History. Whissendine – Whissendine…
