Historic hoaxes and news fakery from frontier papers
A retrospective look at tiny Alaska and 19th century newspaper hoaxes. It recounts the Noahs Ark story on Mt Koyukuk, a tail of a camel elk mixup told by California Joe in the Black Hills, and a 1910 Brazil coffee tale spun into a broader spoof by rival papers led by April Fools’ tricks.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Klondike
Alaska
Dawson
Aurora Borealis
Southern Cross
Casey Antonio Moran
Antonio
Mt. Koyukuk
Yukon
Koyukuk
States
Press Association
Newton- Jenney
Black Hills
South Dakota
R .B. Davenport
New York Herald
Davenport
California
Jde
Joe
Gov’ment
Arizona
London
Ohio
Brazil
Senor Livpa Loof
Manhy
Times
Publc
The
H. &. Harrington
Medill School At Journalism
Northwestern University
Newson
STAR DUST MOVIE RADIO STAR DUST OFF
Off screen romance influences casting with Paramount signing John Barrymore and Elaine Barrie to a three year deal for future pictures. Freddie Bartholomew’s dispute with MGM settled. salary details include two thousand weekly for forty weeks plus three thousand for six weeks of appearances and pocket money. Clayton Collier and Tyrone Power headlines tease upcoming public appearances. Hollywood items note radio stars, stage success, and plan Disraeli casting for Power.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Paramount
John Barrymore
Elaine Barrie
Mr. Barrymore
Freddie Bartholomew
Metro-Goldwyn Mayer
Freddie
Married man preferred keeps wife on call at home
A Boston Transcript anecdote recalls a care taker job ad where a woman hires a man after interviews. The man asks if his wife could work too. she explains she wanted a married man to ensure he is accustomed to taking orders from a woman.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Miss Barrie
Boston Transcript
Stung Again by a Regular Vamp
Sam reports a domestic prank when a girl he knew yesterday lured him with an ice cream soda. The brief item notes his run in with a persistent flirt.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sam
That Different Clairvoyant and Suitor Question Future
A young man seeks a reading from a clairvoyant about marrying the clairvoyant’s daughter. The exchange centers on future prospects as the suitor asks for personal guidance. The scene plays on fate and family ties in a dialogue about arranged outcomes.
Wealthy Mine Heiress Dictates Summer Romance
Report cites a conversation from the St. Louis Globe Democrat about a man who courted a rich girl this summer. The father is described as wealthy from mining, with copper mining mentioned jokingly as a guessed source, though another suitor supposedly beat him to it.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
St. Louis Globe Democrat
Sandy's After Dinner Speaking Notorious For Calls
Path finder Magazine quips that Sandy is famed for his after-dinner speaking and for being on the telephone when the waiter brings the check, a running joke about his timing and vanity.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sandy
Pathfinder Magazine
Auntie and Nephew Swap Gifts in Quirky Exchange
Auntie laments choosing between a large or small cheque while her impecunious nephew jokes that any cheque would be fine. She sighs that a striped tie would have been better, highlighting a playful family moment.
And That Was Enough Puzzles Question
A brief nod to a private exchange about puzzles and marriage. The speaker notes that time with puzzles is limited, and prefers time with the person they married. The line hints at personal balance and partnership.
Optimist says clouds carry silver lining in nickel plate
Philadelphia Bulletin notes an upbeat view with the saying that every cloud has a silver lining and a casual remark about nickel plating, reflecting a hopeful outlook despite concerns.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia Bulletin
Time for Rejoicing in a Fractured Bulletin
A fragmented 19th century bulletin speaks of death by fly paper and family quirks. A father explains inheritance of traits while a witty exchange with a child named Master Goon nimbly undercuts solemn tone. The odd dialogue evokes satirical mood and social mores.
Something Done Mother to Son at Party
A short cartoon item from Pathfinder Magazine in the New York Post format. Mrs mother asks her son Tommy what he will do after eating, and the father recalls crusts from his childhood. The dialogue is humorous and light hearted about crusts and returning home.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Gallagher
New York
Janet
Gaynor
Twentieth Century- Fox
Tyrone Power
Mr. Power
Disraeli
Bing Crosby
Carole Lombard
Claude Binyon
Bing
Mary Gattiste
Gary
Robert Taylor
Barbara Stanwyck
Lanny Ross
MGM
Warner Brothers
Garrick
Brian Aherne
Olivia de Haviland
Doctor Dafoe
Doctor Christian
Ha ‘Alumbia
Western Newspaper Union
Tommy
Pathfinder Magazine
Answers to Four Dozen Trivia Questions from 19th Century Sheet
A compiled Q and A set covers topics from geography to politics. It states Earth's surface 196,950,000 square miles with 139,440,000 water and 57,510,000 land, average rural mail routes at 35 miles, and that shellac is insect secreted. It notes Aeolus rules winds, Grover Cleveland as a Democratic president prior to Wilson in modern terms, and a French sponsored floating weather station in the North Atlantic for aviator reports.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
United States
Luther Burank
Grover Cleveland
Woodrow Wilson
Weather Bureau
mid-Atlantic
Brawley
Calif
Erna Sack
Dresden Opera Company
Wilson
Johnson
Buchanan
Jackson
Jefferson
French Ministry of Air
Air France
French Line
North Atlantic
America
Europe
Onward Christian Soldiers hymn origin recalled
A Yorkshire pupil group asked the young curate Rev Sabine Baring Gould to write a Whitsuntide procession hymn. He composed the stirring hymn in minutes to Haydn’s tune originally, with Sullivan later supplying the music by a flash of inspiration.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Yorkshire
Eng
Sabine Baring Gould
Joseph Haydn
Arthur Sullivan
Washington Post
Slow Down Here Notice Sparks Village Mystery
A playful courtroom style exchange between a judge and policeman centers on a roadside notice reading Slow Down Here. A motorist misreads it as describing the officer’s village, while a beauty authority notes charm in carriage and a boy’s appeal in a sporty coupe.
Burglar Arrested in Both Sides of Hopping Mad Show
A dramatic critic walked out mid act two, only to be urged to stay for a "terrific kick" in act three. The manager’s tease led to a sharp quip from the critic about the author. The exchange underscores a tense theater scene and a comic clash over the play’s pace.
Also Mentioned on This Page
Stardust Movie Radio
Virginia Vale
Clayton Collier
Leo Reisman
Eddy Duchin
Kitty Kelly
Inferne
Ann Miller
Ginger Rogers
Radio City Revels
Milton Berle
Air
Hollywood
San
Francisco
Ki’ O
Warren Newell
Universal Studios
Alice
Faye
Mr. Newell
Alice Faye
Smart Aleck
Pater
Sparrows
Willie
Pather
Ming
New York Post
Monk
Kangy
Firestone
Paul Stiefboldt
Carl Shkeger
Troy
Lily Lake
Big Rock
Wheatland
Illinois
Firestone Auto Supply & Service
Clarence Shoge
Chicago
Deer L
Feam
Richard Crooks
Margant Peaks
Red
Virsstone
Tire
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!