Things were pretty bleak in the 17th and 18th centuries and many parents did not have enough money to care for their children They either left them at the hospital or sent them to be reared in work homes.
Often, the parents would give the children small tokens such as buttons or lockets, things that were specific enough for the parents to be able to recognize the tokens later so that they could identify their children if they met them again, or if they happened to pass away.
The Founder of the Smithsonian Institution Uses the Building as His Burial Ground
James Smithson is buried in the Smithsonian and is said to still be presiding over the place. Employees claim to have seen his ghost roaming around the building.
There were so many reports of Smithson’s ghost that the museum decided to open his casket in 1973 to make sure his remains were still intact.
Liberty Island May Be Home to a Pirate Ghost
The famous Liberty Island used to be occupied by teams of pirates. In 1892, during the time when a fort was erected on the island, two soldiers heard rumors of the island’s past frequenters and decided to try to find buried treasure that was said to be left behind by some pirates.
They actually found the treasure box, but when they tried to open it a demon supposedly appeared to stop them. The figure was thought to be the spirit of Captain Kidd, a famous pirate who was said to have buried his treasure on the island.
The Declaration of Independence Was Written on Something You’d Never Expect
Originally, the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. The copy that persists today was written on parchment—a velum, which is a treated animal skin. However, we all know it takes drafts and drafts before you can get to a final copy, and most of those drafts of the Declaration were written on hemp!
Back in the 1800s, the majority of paper was actually made of the durable material we know as hemp.
Washington’s Birthday Was the Last Time the Liberty Bell Rang
On February 19th, 1846 the Liberty Bell Rang for the last time.
This was 47 years after George Washington died, but it was his birthday nonetheless and we’re sure he would’ve been proud to hear the Liberty Bell ring.