Dr. Simeon Lee was a pioneering doctor in Nevada. . . and left a lasting legacy with his astonishing collection of historical artifacts.
Ross Raymond’s Surprisingly Happy Ending
Fresh from ten years inside a dismal UK prison, Ross Raymond pulled several more creative scams (and another prison stint) before — finally! — finding peace in Nevada.
Pretending to be Edison
Swindler Ross Raymond presented himself as a Rajah’s assistant, a newspaper correspondent, and once even Thomas Edison. Here’s Part 2 of this brilliant deceiver’s story!
A Brilliant Deceiver
Ross Raymond was one of the most prolific con men of the 19th Century. Here’s part 1 of his amazing story!
Carson City’s Code-Talker: Karl Kee Crawford
One of the Navajo Code-Talkers of World War II lived in Carson City — here’s his amazing story.
A Name, a Photo, and a Mystery
Her rose-colored headstone bears a single, tantalizing line: “OSS Veteran.” But her life? Well, that’s something of a mystery.
Whatever Became of James Crawford?
A mysterious grave with no name on the wooden headstone. . . led us on a fascinating journey to learn who rested there!
An Oh-So-Alpine Story
In 1978, tiny Alpine County faced one of its biggest challenges – an attempted “take-over.” DA Chris Smith rode to the rescue.
Pioneers of Ft. Lauderdale
Think back, to a time before Ft. Lauderdale was the world’s cruise ship capital and the epitome of spring-break cool. Back before freeways. Before air conditioning. Back even before 1838, when the town’s first “tourist” — Maj. William Lauderdale – threw up a hastily-built fort beside the Rio Nuevo, hanging around for only […]
The not-so-famous E.T. Barnum
You’ve undoubtedly heard of P.T. Barnum, world-renowned showman and circus guy. But have you heard of E.T. Barnum? Probably not, unless you’re into penal history. E.T. Barnum, you see, was in the jail accountrements business. From 1866 on, if you were in need of a heavy-duty jail cage, plate-iron cell lining (something to stop prisoners from […]
Love That Crossed An Ocean
Some family stories that are just so special they cry out to be shared. This is one of those stories. It’s “history in a different way” – real lives of ordinary people caught up in the history we’ve only read about in books: wars, social struggles, economic upheaval. Thanks to my friend Corine Bickley for sharing […]
Henry Flagler Didn’t Give Up
Fresh from his embarrassing failure in the Saginaw salt business, Henry Flagler moved his young family to Cleveland in the summer of 1866. (Missed his earlier drama? Here’s Part 1 and Part 2 of Flagler’s tale!) Cleveland meant a fresh start. And for the ever-optimistic Flagler, it must have felt like a welcome one. He’d managed to secure a […]