Latest news with #history
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
El Paso pioneer recalls early days, says he brought alligators to San Jacinto Plaza
By 1920, El Paso pioneer J. Fisher Satterthwaite was living in San Diego, Calif. On a trip back to El Paso, he relayed to G.A. Martin of the El Paso Herald his recollections of early-day El Paso. This article ran Sept. 16, 1920: El Paso police had headquarters in George Look's saloon on El Paso Street and "kept cases" for the gamblers between calls, back in the early '80s, according to J. Fisher Satterthwaite, a prominent citizen of El Paso at the time. Mr. Satterthwaite now resides in San Diego, Calif., but is here on a visit for a short time. Mr. Satterthwaite was the first park commissioner of El Paso, receiving the appointment in 1882 and serving for five years. He admits responsibility for the alligators in San Jacinto Plaza. He says he brought three of them here from New Orleans in a cigar box; one of them died later, but two of the original 'gators are still in the park. Mr. Satterthwaite built the first pond for the alligators, doing the work personally. He came to El Paso from San Antonio, by stage, and was nine days making the trip. The stage turned over twice in one day and he carries a scar on one hand to this day as a result of an injury he received in one of the overturnings. He says he was appointed park commissioner because he had been criticizing the aldermen. They were all gamblers, he says, and he called them "the knights of the green cloth." "I never accused them of stealing money," he says, "because there was nothing to steal, but they just wouldn't do anything. I was to get a salary of $100 a year for my work, but I never received a cent. About all the city council could raise was enough money to pay the police. We never had a cent for the park and the women of El Paso — Mrs. Jos. Magoffin, Mrs. Phil Dieter and others — kept the flowers blooming in the park. It was often very pretty. "A big arroyo ran straight through the middle of the park, going off down through what is now Mesa Avenue. The (Southern Pacific) railroad had a pile bridge over the arroyo on the north side of the park, and it stood there for many years after I had filled up the arroyo. The filling of this arroyo, the first time a big rain came, caused the flooding of land west of the park and buried the railroad tracks in several inches of mud and sand. The railroad people wanted to make me open up the arroyo again and they kept the bridge in place for many years, although I had filled up the arroyo." "I bought the Hart survey, about 360 acres of land, extending from the river along the north side of the railroad tracks, east to what is now Campbell Street and north to the mountains. My land included a large part of what is now San Jacinto Plaza and I donated it to the city. The city later stole Carnegie Square (site of the El Paso Public Library) from me. "I spent $86,000 grading streets through my land and selling lots. More: El Paso in the 1920s: Hail breaks up Army dance, it's costly to bury a mule :Trish Long "When the railroad came here in 1882, the city filled up with thugs, gamblers and thieves of all sorts. Citizens had to arm themselves with shotguns and sit out on the streets at night to preserve order. Fifty of them were made deputy city marshals to preserve order. "Things became so bad that Dallas Stoudenmire was brought here from Indian Territory to 'clean up' the town. He had a record of having killed four men. He was sworn in at what served then as a city hall — a room in a beer saloon down San Francisco Street known as the 'Half Way House'; later it was known as Charlie Biesswenger's place. "He then sauntered down the street, a long linen duster on and a pistol in each pocket. At the corner of San Antonio and El Paso streets, he was hissed by a gang there. He pulled his pistols and shot and killed four men. No inquest was held. "That night, Stoudenmire went further down the street to a dance hall and variety theater, kept by his brother-in-law, 'Doc' Cummings, and ordered Cummings to close the place, as several killings had taken place there. Cummings drew his gun. Stoudenmire shot him dead and the place was closed. "Sam Boring, a real estate man, who had a reputation as a sheriff and city marshal in California, was sworn in as assistant to Stoudenmire, and immediately secured from somewhere a ton of balls and chains. Summoning citizens with shotguns, he rounded up all the undesirables and marched them into a corral, where he locked the balls and chains on them. More: 'El Chuco': Historical roots of El Paso's nickname "Then he stationed the citizens with their shotguns loaded with small shot on the roofs of the adobe buildings around San Jacinto Plaza, and, taking 50 of his prisoners out of the stockade, he marched them up to the plaza, where he took the hardware off of them and told them to go to work helping me in the park. "One of the men attracted his attention to something and the others, relieved of their balls and chains, started running. This was what Boring had counted on, and was the signal for the men on the roofs, armed with shotguns, to begin firing. The shot were only large enough to sting good and hard. Those 'undesirables' never quit running until they had permanently left El Paso. "Fifty more were treated the same way in a short time, then another 50. "That night, anybody could walk along any street in El Paso in perfect safety and that was the end of the reign of terror for El Paso. "We had a semblance of law and order from that time forward. The news spread all over the country among bad men that El Paso was unhealthy for them." Trish Long may be reached at tlong@ This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso pioneer brought gators to Plaza from New Orleans in a cigar box
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Saskatchewan historic hotel with history of murder and mystery now being restored
When you walk throughout the Town of Shaunavon, many will notice a handful of historic buildings. Many date back to the early 1900's. Of them all, there's one that stands out. Not just for its age but for its notorious history of murders and tragic string of events. The Grand Hotel, located on 37 Third Avenue East. 'Neglected building, not an abused building' The Grand Hotel once served as a stop over spot for travellers coming to the town. It has sat vacant and untouched for over 40-years. Though it has stood silent for years, one man from B.C. is aiming not only preserve a piece of the past, but to bring more purpose to his own life. Kent Karemaker, originally from Vancouver, said he had been struggling with mental health issues and depression, which intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'In a capital city during the pandemic, working remotely from home, I really struggled with depression. A lot of it was finding purpose in life, like reasons to get up every morning and something to light a fire under me,' he explained. Expand Autoplay 1 of 31 The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, later experiencing a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929 and experienced a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Shaunavon, Sask. Shaunavon, Sask. is a town in southwest Saskatchewan. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Shaunavon, Sask. Shaunavon, Sask. is a town in southwest Saskatchewan. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929 and experienced a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929 and experienced a fire, dynamite explosion, and three murders throughout the years. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Karemaker said he has always had a passion for restoring furniture. He even restored two homes in the town. 'I was kind of hooked once I did two houses in front here and then I wanted to set my sights bigger,' he said. He reached out to people in the town to see if they knew of old, abandoned or worn-out heritage homes he could tackle as his next project. 'Through a post on Facebook, a friend of mine contacted me and she said, 'Hey, what about a hotel?'' Karemaker got in touched with the hotel's previous owner, Brad Bakken, and took over ownership a little over two years ago. 'I paid $20,000 for this building, which is probably around 15,000 square feet, so it's a big one,' Karemaker said. Kent Karemaker Kent Karemaker, originally from Vancouver, B.C., is working to preserve a piece of the past at Shaunavon's Grand Hotel. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) 'Last hurrah of the 20's' The Grand Hotel was built and opened to the public on November 28, 1929, with Fred Mah and Mah Hop as the owners. The opening would have been during the end of the Roaring 20's and the beginning of the Great Depression in Canada. The total cost to build the hotel was $35,000. The Grand Hotel The Grand Hotel in Shaunavon, Sask. first opened to the public in 1929, during the end of the Roaring Twenties and the beginning of the Great Depression in Canada. (Photo source: Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre) 'It opened, I believe one month before the stock market crash in 1929, which is probably about the worst time to open a hotel because that's basically when Saskatchewan started shrinking,' Karemaker explained. When it opened, hot and cold water was available in all 38 rooms, with steam heat and all new furnishings. The Grand Hotel When the Grand Hotel first opened in 1929, all 38 rooms had hot and cold water, as well as steam heat and all new furnishings. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) Rooms would have been available for guests to rent for $1.25 a day. Bathrooms were shared among guests with only one bathtub on each floor and two toilets, one for ladies and one for men. Kathleen East, Shaunavon's local historian, explained that many bizarre events took place in the hotel over the years, including a fire in 1932, dynamite explosion in 1933, and three murders in the hotel in 1940. 'It was run as a hotel by the Chinese family until 1940 when two of them were actually murdered in the front of the hotel,' she said. Just two months prior, RCMP Sgt. Arthur Julian Barker was shot and killed in the same spot. 'That particular person got off on insanity, but they were connected within two months of each other,' East said. Barker's photo hangs in the front of the hotel where the murder happened. RCMP Sgt. Arthur Julian Barker RCMP Sgt. Arthur Julian Barker was shot and killed in front of the Grand Hotel in 1940. Two more people were murdered just two months later. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) Apartment block Eventually, the hotel was converted into an apartment block by George A. Baird of Moose Jaw. The building would later be known as the Beverly Court in 1943. A furnished single room would run for $35 a month with the resident paying the electricity. East said there would be many young women who would come to town for work and would stay at the apartment building. 'There were usually a lot of single people living there. Then the other one that was quite common was elderly people that needed a place to live,' East explained. One of the last two residents who rented a suite before the building closed down was Jamie Mercer. Mercer had come to Shaunavon for work and was 17-years-old at the time. Jamie Mercer Jamie Mercer was one of the last two residents who rented a suite before the building closed down. She was 17-years-old when she came to Shaunavon for work. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) 'Looking back at it, I think how did I ever stay here by myself? Seventeen-year-olds are kind of fearless, I guess,' Mercer said. 'You come in, you close the door, this is your spot. It didn't bother me that it was empty.' Mercer rented a room for about four months and despite the building's history, she managed to make the small space her own. 'I believe I had a small table right there. Bed. Pretty much that was it. A bed. There was a closet,' she said, standing in her old room. The boiler system in the basement of the building had stopped working at the time and was not going to be replaced, forcing Mercer and the other tenant to vacate. The Beverly Court was listed for sale in January of 1997, with the Bakkens taking over ownership then. 'Revitalize every element' Karemaker has already begun work on the restoration process of the hotel. He's poured $60,000 into just replacing the roof alone. 'The roof has been replaced. The bulk of the electrical, including all the switches and boxes and everything. All of the main lines coming through have been done. I have replaced over 40 broken panes of glass. Resealed and repainted all of the lower-level exterior windows.' When the apartment building shut down, the building sat empty for years, giving Karemaker much of the original finishings and most of the existing furniture to work with. 'I have some of the original bed frames and that sort of thing. I have restored a lot of furniture. The basement houses a lot of the original sort of back-end things. So, all the original laundry equipment is down there. The 1920's boiler system is still intact,' he said. The Grand Hotel The original boiler system, as well as the original laundry equipment, are still in tact and housed in the hotel's basement. (Angela Stewart / CTV News) 'I have everything original to work with. The plan is to revitalize every element of the building and put it back into use.' Karemaker has been documenting his work on the hotel through social media, under the Facebook page, Grand Hotel Shaunavon. With a clear vision for the restoration, Karemaker plans to bring back the hotel's original 1929 charm for those wishing to stay the night. 'I want this place again to be a bit of a retreat,' he explained. 'Bathrooms will be shared with a couple exceptions; suites have private baths and then there will be modern bathrooms. That's the only modern concession I'll make, other than Wi-Fi.' He said there will be no TVs in any of the rooms. 'I also want it to feel authentically 1920's and I think nothing would kill that vibe more than walking into your room and seeing a flat screen. I don't want there to be any sign of electronics that didn't exist in the 1920's,' he said. Those who work at the hotel will also play the part, including Karemaker himself. 'Black and white maid outfits. I'll be in a three-piece suit with a pocket watch.' With the original boiler system out of commission, there is no running heat in the building, so work on the restoration is limited to the warmer months. Karemaker expects the renovations to be wrapped up in about four years time, with an opening date to fall on the hotel's 100th anniversary. Those who are interested in checking out Karemaker's progress so far can attend an open house on July 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
On This Day, June 28: Biscayne National Park established in Florida
On this date in history: In 1778, the Continental Army under command of Gen. George Washington defeated the British at Monmouth, N.J. A pair of saddle pistols used by the Marquis de Lafayette during the battle fetched nearly $2 million at a 2002 auction. In 1838, Victoria was crowned queen of England. She would rule for 63 years, 7 months. In 1914, Archduke Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia, an act considered to have ignited World War I. In 1919, World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1969, the clientele of a New York City gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, rioted after it was raided by police. The event is considered the start of the gay liberation movement. In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the use of public funds for parochial schools was unconstitutional. In 1972, President Richard Nixon announced that no more draftees would be sent to Vietnam unless they volunteered for service in the Asian nation. In 1980, Biscayne National Park, previously a national monument, was established by an act of Congress. The park preserves Biscayne Bay and offshore barrier reefs in South Florida. In 1997, Mike Tyson bit off a piece of one of heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield's ears during a title fight in Las Vegas. In 2007, the American bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list. Officials of the Interior Department said the eagle, which had been declared endangered in 1967, was flourishing and no longer imperiled. In 2009, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, rousted out of bed in the middle of the night by soldiers, was forced from office and into exile in Costa Rica in the culmination of a bitter power struggle over proposed constitutional changes. He was in exile for more than a year. In 2011, the International Monetary Fund's executive board named Christine Lagarde chairwoman, the first woman to lead the organization. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the new healthcare law known as the Affordable Care Act. In 2016, militants opened fire and set off explosions at Turkey's Ataturk Airport, killing 45 people and leaving more than 230 injured. Turkish officials blamed the Islamic State. In 2018, five people -- four journalists and a sales assistant -- died after a gunman opened fire at the Annapolis, Md., office of the Capital Gazette newspaper. In 2022, Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking scheme. In 2023, South Korea scrapped its traditional age-counting system, instantly reducing the age of citizens by one or two years in a move to align with international standards and reduce clerical headaches. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that enforcement of camping regulation laws against homeless people does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment banned by the Eighth Amendment.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Did people have lots of sex during the plague? Meet KATIE KENNEDY, the TikTok star spreading history's hottest gossip
Is it true that Marie Antoinette slept with her son? How did 1700s women sit down in their massive dresses? Did Charles II invent dogging? These are just some of the historical questions being answered by 25-year-old Katie Kennedy in her snappy, sassy social-media videos, and Gen Z are lapping it up. Kennedy – who goes by The History Gossip online – has more than 683,000 social-media followers, with her videos racking up to 5.9 million views. TikTok has named her one of its '2025 Creators to Watch' and recently she released a book, also called , full of juicy titbits from centuries past.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
The dark secrets of Bolton's past uncovered to mark National Crime Month
The intriguing dark chapters of Bolton's history have to come to light once again to mark National Crime Month. Bolton Library is marking the month with a series of events, including visits by crime authors - and a trip to the archives where secrets of the town's past dating back to the 1500s are kept. (Image: Leah Collins) The tour, which was led by archivist Caroline Furey, shows Bolton Library and Museum's collection of historical, court, business and church records taking back to 1525. READ MORE: Located under the Grade II listed building on Le Mans Crescent, the Bolton archives currently have two miles worth of shelving, with about three miles in total when combined with Bolton documents stored at other sites. The tours are led by archivist Caroline Furey. (Image: Leah Collins) Other records include old newspaper articles from the Bolton Chronicle, including detailed court coverage of previous crimes of the past. Caroline said: 'These sessions are ongoing to get people interested in the work we do here at the archives. A lot of people don't even know that they exist under here. 'Bolton library was actually the third public library in the country, so people here really did have a thirst for knowledge.' One of the documents in the collection include an indictment file relating to a 15-year-old pickpocket, James Costello, who was prosecuted for stealing a silver box containing coins from a lady in Bolton. The tours are proving popular with residents for National Crime Month. (Image: Leah Collins) Old court records show that he pleaded guilty to the offences and was transported for ten years to Tasmania. Police records describe James as 'bad and idle, bad in every respect' with records from his time in Tasmania describing an incident when he purposefully damaged his boots so that he couldn't work. Other records detail an Anges Lawless, who stole £5 from her employer in Bolton in 1881 and was sentenced to six months of hard labour as a result. Records from an old police book detail the crimes of James Costello. (Image: Leah Collins) A rather unusual case detailed in the records was Betty Eccles, an elderly lady from Bolton who was convicted for poisoning children with arsenic. Caroline said: 'We have lots of information on the criminals here in Bolton. With James, we know that he passed away in 1892 aged 66, which is a long life for someone of the time. 'We are keen to get in contact with anybody in Tasmania who might be part of his ancestry. The Bolton Library archives have about two miles of shelves in total. (Image: Leah Collins) 'All the information kept in the archives has to be original, and it must be about Bolton. We are keen not to have information that is duplicated and, in the case, when collections become too big to store, we would have to keep a sample. 'It is not all digitalised, this would be a massive job. Some stuff has been digitalised, it's normally external companies that come and do this for us, but it is a long and slow process.' Also discussed was the 1838 murder of Scotch traveller, George Henderson, on Winter Hill. He had set off early one morning across the cloud-shrouded hill, but never arrived at his destination. Later that day, a young boy found him moaning in a ditch, grievously injured by a gunshot to his head, which hours later claimed his life. The man charged with his murder was acquitted, so it's a crime that remains unsolved to this day. Crime author Shari Lapena will be at Bolton Library on July 16 and free tickets available on Eventbrite.
