Tag: Americana

English words today come from a variety of languages, originating from Greek, French, Latin, and many others. But perhaps the most important of them all is German, whose words form the backbone of English. That’s why English is...

Few items feel as timelessly iconic as blue jeans. Their casual aesthetic seamlessly blends into any era, worn by everyone from laborers to rockstars to fashion models. Yet this versatile wardrobe staple wasn’t always mainstream apparel. Jeans began strictly as hardy gear for gritty frontier survival before becoming universal closet necessities over nearly 150 years.

Swaying gently over the boulevards, palm trees evoke Los Angeles glamour everywhere from Beverly Hills to Venice Beach. Their slender trunks and breezy fronds appear as quintessentially Californian as surfboards and starlets.

TAlong the craggy shores of Little Brewster Island stands a stately tower sending its beacon over the dark waters. Though hundreds of lighthouses dot America's coasts, Boston Light remains special - it's the country's last continuously staffed lighthouse guiding ships through the night.

The clamor of hooves pounding dirt fills the summer air as two riders in glinting armor charge forward, wooden lances tilted. At the moment of impact, cheers erupt from the crowd as splinters explode in a thrilling burst. While this scene may seem fit for a Renaissance fair, it plays out every year at Maryland jousting tournaments that uphold a centuries-old tradition.

Celebrity weddings — Long before Kim and Kanye or Harry and Meghan, America was fixated on another over-the-top celebrity wedding. Back in 1863, little person superstars Charles Stratton and Lavinia Warren tied the knot in an extravagant New York City affair that attracted crowds in the thousands.