Stories of America’s Past

Welcome to America Comes Alive!, a site I created to share little-known stories of regular people who made a difference and changed the course of history. Look around and see what inspires you! — Kate Kelly

Kate Kelly

  • Annie Oakley’s Dog Dave

    Long before modern celebrity pets, there was Dave the Wonder Dog—the famous English Setter who shared the spotlight with legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley and her husband, Frank Butler. Nearly as famous as his mistress, Dave became a sensation in Annie’s live shooting demonstrations by  balancing an apple on his head until Annie shot it off. During World War I, Dave helped Annie raise thousands of dollars for war relief and earning his place in history…
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  • Revolutionary War Female Soldier Deborah Sampson

    Deborah Sampson (1760-1827) is well-remembered for her actions during the Revolutionary War. She decided it was her calling to serve in the Continental Army, so she disguised herself as a man and enlisted. She served successfully for 17 months in an area near West Point, known as Neutral Ground. The discovery of her gender occurred when she was sent with her regiment to Philadelphia. Many of the soldiers—including Deborah- became seriously ill. Sampson’s fever became…
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  • Why is Election Day on Tuesday after the first Monday in November?

    Why is Election Day always on a Tuesday? This is a question I am often asked when I address groups about our election day history.  In 1845, Congress chose the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November because it was the most convenient day for 19th-century farmers. They traveled on horseback or with wagons, so a Tuesday gave them travel time without interfering with Sunday church services or Wednesday market days. That’s the simple…
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  • When Gasoline-Powered Cars Were First Used, Where Did They Get Gasoline?

    How did early drivers get gasoline before there were gas stations? Until “horseless carriages” began traveling along American roads, there hadn’t been much need for gasoline.  Gasoline was identified during the mid-19th century, when companies began refining crude oil to extract kerosene. Gasoline was a byproduct of this process, but because it was highly flammable, it was generally discarded. But with the development of gas-powered automobiles, Americans needed places to buy gasoline. Early Retail Sources…
    Read More When Gasoline-Powered Cars Were First Used, Where Did They Get Gasoline?

On
This
Day

On August 4, 1964, the bodies of 3 civil rights workers were found buried near Philadelphia, Mississippi. New Yorkers Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman came to Mississippi in 1964 to help organize civil rights efforts. The third man, James Chaney, was a local African American man who joined them in 1963. Their disappearance led to a massive FBI investigation. Nineteen men were indicted; 7 were found guilty .  In 2005, Edgar Ray Killen was also found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 60 years.

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Welcome to America Comes Alive!, a site I created to share little-known stories of regular people who made a difference and changed the course of history. Look around and see what inspires you! — Kate Kelly

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Part of the inspiration for this site comes from this remark: “People do not want to hear about simple things. They want to hear about great things – simply told.”

Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams (1860-1935)

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