# Any ideas for obscure historical stuff to read about via a newspapers.com subscription? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 18, 2020, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-for-obscure-historical-stuff-to-read-about-via-a-newspapers-com-subscription/846633 "2020-01-18T21:08:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Win\_Place\_Show](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/win_place_show/32/13469_2.png) [@Win\_Place\_Show](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Win_Place_Show)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-for-obscure-historical-stuff-to-read-about-via-a-newspapers-com-subscription/846633/1 "2020-01-18T21:08:33Z")
After taking the 7-day trial run with [newspapers.com](http://newspapers.com), I’ve decided to continue my subscription. In my down time (between reading the SDMB, duh) I’ve found myself going back and reading through stories depicting events from days gone by. It’s incredibly interesting to me, reading through them in the context of “their present tense”. Everyone’s definition of “obscure” will differ, but somehow this week I ended up down a rabbit hole that led me to reading a story about 2009’s [Balloon Boy Hoax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_boy_hoax). That’s probably as random an example as I can come up with. DB Cooper, Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson, the Kent State Shootings, the Jeffrey MacDonald “Green Beret Murder” case, Apollo 13, the deaths of Michael Jackson (and Farrah Fawcett), Woodstock, the 1968 Olympics Gold Medal Black Power Salute, the guy who rampaged through San Diego in a tank in 1995, Bernard Goetz, etc. While certainly not “little known” we can agree that these aren’t on the scale of the Kennedy Assassination / September 11th / the Space Shuttle Challenger. I’m trying to think of other kinda sorta obscure events that it might be interesting to go back and read about. Any ideas? Anyone else with a current [newspaper.com](http://newspaper.com) subscription? ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-for-obscure-historical-stuff-to-read-about-via-a-newspapers-com-subscription/846633/2 "2020-01-18T21:40:56Z")
How far back in the archives can you go? Titanic, Lindberg baby, Chicago World’s Fair, Krakatoa 1883 ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-for-obscure-historical-stuff-to-read-about-via-a-newspapers-com-subscription/846633/3 "2020-01-18T23:48:38Z")
Anything involving Hetty Green or her kids. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2020, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-for-obscure-historical-stuff-to-read-about-via-a-newspapers-com-subscription/846633/4 "2020-01-18T23:55:40Z")
I’m partial to murders, myself. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-for-obscure-historical-stuff-to-read-about-via-a-newspapers-com-subscription/846633/5 "2020-01-19T02:49:22Z")
Anything about the underground newspaper wars circa 1970. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-for-obscure-historical-stuff-to-read-about-via-a-newspapers-com-subscription/846633/6 "2020-01-19T04:30:33Z")
Well, I am not sure how this service works, but try going over [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageNewspapers/) for ideas. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-for-obscure-historical-stuff-to-read-about-via-a-newspapers-com-subscription/846633/7 "2020-01-19T04:44:14Z")
Not news, and I’ve posted about this before with examples, but look up the entertainment section in the Honolulu Star Bulletin and Honolulu Advertiser during the late 60’s and early 70’s. On one side (back to back, never side by side), you’d see ads for the latest G-rated family movies and the other side you’d see ads for live sex shows\*, featured strippers (adult film stars later in the 70’s), _The Glades_ “Boys Will Be Girls” revue and \*The Dunes \* restaurant which featured completely nude waitresses and waiters! \*The shows were supposed to be simulated, but were temporarily shut down a few times because it wasn’t always fake. Later, some of the ads were moved to the sports sections. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-for-obscure-historical-stuff-to-read-about-via-a-newspapers-com-subscription/846633/8 "2020-01-19T21:32:19Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > Later, some of the ads were moved to the sports sections. Pole-vaulting results? Long jump?