Under Construction: Hoover Dam

 

Under Construction: Washington Monument

 

History Quote Weekends

 

History Quote Weekends

 

Paris is Liberated

 

Knowledge!

 

Florida Cray

 

On this day in 1821, Spain sold eastern Florida to the United States for $5 Million, over $100,000,000 in today's money. It is still uncertain as to who got the best part of the deal.

1915 World's Fair

On this day in 1915, the 1915 World's Fair opened up in San Francisco. The fair was beneficial to the earthquake ravaged city, though it wasn't completely beloved by many residents. A faction of San Franciscans had wanted to take advantage of the earthquake damage by reimagining the city and incorporating a more planned design. 

After the city was awarded the World's Fair, however, the city scrapped any highminded planning efforts. The powers that were wanted to show that the city had fully recovered from its devastating disaster. The only way to do that was to approve any and all buildings with no long term planning. Despite this, however, The 1915 World's Fair was a huge success.

 

Happy Presidents Day

 

Under Construction: Harrods

 

History Quote Weekends

 

Under Construction: Griffith Observatory

 

Under Construction: Golden Gate Bridge

 

Creativity

 

Presidential Schools

The two presidents who are believed to have the most schools named after them are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

 

 

Scientology Infiltrates the FBI

One of the largest (and most forgotten) plots to infiltrate the FBI and other U.S. Government agencies was perpetrated by The Church of Scientology in the mid-1970's. The operation would send cult founder L. Ron Hubbard into hiding and set off unprecedented raids and legal actions against the well known cult

 

Scientology as a new religion was founded in the 1950's by L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard had turned his rambling book Dianetics into a huge self help fad, but his "movement" fell into decline fairly quickly. Desperate to revive what had become a lucrative chain of learning centers, Hubbard created "Scientology" a system he hoped would revive interest in Dianetics as well as provide him with a tax-free revenue stream. His gambit was hugely successful; the religion had made him rich beyond even his wildest dreams, but he would encounter much skepticism from outsiders who considered his operations a scam. By the 1970's, Hubbard would choose to go on the offense against the government and those he felt were unfairly targeting him and his church.

 

Hubbard would create an internal organization that could gather evidence against its perceived enemies and crush anyone standing in its way. He entrusted the operations to his wife Mary Sue Hubbard. At first, the organization would play defense, ruthlessly attacking those who targeted the church's predatory practices. By the mid-1970's Mrs. Hubbard decided to go on the offense by infiltrating U.S. Government agencies. Not only would these spies get information about planned raids or undercover investigations, they were expected to identify and destroy negative information about Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard.

At its peak, "Operation Snow White" as it was referred to by internal church leaders, would have 5,000 undercover operatives imbedded in various government agencies around the world. Its spying would be focused on the United States, however, with the bulk of these spies holding jobs in agencies like the FDA, IRS and FBI. These agencies were targeted by the Hubbards, who saw them as particularly hostile to their cult. Eventually, the operations would be discovered by the authorities after a bungled classified document copying scheme was uncovered.

The resulting investigations would result in the jailing of numerous top Scientology executives, including Mary Sue Hubbard. Her husband would take the coward's way out, going into hiding and becoming paranoid for the rest of his life. He would eventually pass away, hidden in a secret Scientology compound. The church he founded would continue, wiping all references to the infiltration from its internal documents.

World Leaders in DISNEYLAND

 

World Leaders in DISNEYLAND

 

Hollywood Goes To War

When World War II broke out, Hollywood was eager to help in any way it could. One of the most eager actresses was Bette Davis. Despite having a reputation for being difficult, Ms. Davis had a heart of gold when it came to honoring servicemen and women. She joined forces with character actor John Garfield to open up a unique venue- the Hollywood Canteen.

 

The Hollywood Canteen was a night club that offered free entry, free food, free drinks and free entertainment to any and all servicemen. Any and all soldiers, passing through Los Angeles on the way to fighting the war, could enjoy a marvelous evening that many of them would never forget. The club was fully staffed by volunteers from throughout Hollywood. Disney animators decorated the walls, Hollywood starlets danced with servicemen, world famous singers entertained. Soldiers could rub elbows with the likes of Donna Reed, Doris Day, Peggy Lee and Lena Horne.

It may sound too good to be true, but it was genuine. Actors and actresses gave their time, talent and cash to send America's heroes off to fight the war in style. The best part of it all was how progressive things were at the canteen- all at Bette Davis' request. The Hollywood Canteen would be fully integrated. Bette didn't care what race a soldier was; that he was fighting for his country is all that mattered. She decreed that there would be no segregation in her club, no 'colored' entrance, no separation. She encouraged the Hollywood starlets who volunteered to dance with the troops to entertain all races equally. This was revolutionary thinking at the time, even in Hollywood. Bette Davis was a trailblazer.

 

The openness and inviting atmosphere attracted a who's who of Hollywood legends including Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Bob Hope, Carmen Miranda, Gene Kelly, Dorothy Dandridge and so many more. Oddly enough, future President Ronald Reagan, though active in Hollywood at the time, was not recorded as having helped out at the canteen. Noted progressive Gregory Peck, on the other hand, was a huge supporter of the Hollywood Canteen.

Millions of servicemen passed through the canteen during the war, getting memories that would last them a lifetime. Sadly, some of them didn't return alive, but Bette Davis and a cavalcade of Hollywood legends made sure that their last days in the country they fought for were amazing. This unique club was immortalized in the Warner Brothers film Hollywood Canteen, though the amazing enterprise is seemingly a forgotten part of Hollywood history.

Historic Parks: POP

After ABC successfully invested in DISNEYLAND, the other television networks were eager to get in on this new theme park business. The first to try its luck at a theme park was CBS. Choosing an ocean pier that had been  rejected by Walt Disney years earlier, CBS partnered with the Santa Anita Company to build Pacific Ocean Park.

The park was initially successful and CBS was thrilled. However, the reasons why Disney had originally rejected the location became apparent. Getting to the park became a chore due to construction in the area. Hemmed in by the ocean on one side, P.O.P was vulnerable to the slightest traffic snarls. Also, being on the beach attracted a rougher crowd to the park. Soon CBS saw its investment go up in smoke. P.O.P would close for good; what wasn't demolished would end up being reclaimed by the sea.

 

Just One Dream...

 

Jelly Belly's Biggest Fan

 

Knott's Berry Place

The Knott's Berry Farm theme park in Buena Park, CA had very humble beginnings. Walter Knott rented acreage alongside what was then the main road to the Orange County beaches to grow fruits and vegetables to the thousands who made the trek down to the ocean. The simple stand quickly became renowned throughout Southern California and built up a steady clientele.

 

However, once the Great Depression hit, Walter Knott found it increasingly difficult to earn enough money to support his family. He came up with an idea- everyone loved his wife's fried chicken- maybe they could open a restaurant? After much prodding, he convinced his wife to give it a try. They sold only four dinners the first day, but it would become the first of millions.

 

The success of the restaurant brought new problems. Thousands of customers would descend upon the farm each day, meaning long waits for meals. Walter Knott needed a way to keep them entertained while they waited. Mr. Knott parlayed his interest in the old west to begin building a ghost town for guests to explore. The successful attraction became even more so after DISNEYLAND opened up in neighboring Anaheim. The Farm would become a full fledged theme park in the 1960's.

 

History Quote Weekends

 

Drunk History Quotes

 

Words of Wisdom...

 

Isolationism After WWI

After World War I, many in the United States favored isolationism. Woodrow Wilson's attempt to form a League of Nations was quickly derided by the Republican Party who sought to keep the world at arm's length. Even when Germany began to re-militarize under Hitler, there were many in the United States who wanted to maintain neutrality.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt saw that Hitler would not be satisfied until he had conquered Europe- and by that time, it might be too late to keep him at bay.

 

Unfortunately, the Republicans were still claiming they wanted to stay out of the war, though whether they were doing so out of true conviction or to be contrary was up for debate. After the Nazi ally Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, however, the country could no longer hide its head in the sand.