1930s
Arthur Gehrke, the Human Hibernator
Arthur "Turkey" Gehrke of Watertown, Wis., had an odd habit. Every November he would go to bed and stay there until the following April. He told the press, "I hibernate and don't get into trouble; while I may miss some fun, I also miss a lot of disagreeable things." He also said, "If more folks went to bed all winter, there wouldn't be so much trouble and confusion in the world."
Strangely, his business didn't suffer because of his sleep habits. He owned a bar, the Turkey's Roost. He hired a temporary bartender to replace him during his hibernation, and the publicity because of his hibernating actually attracted extra business.
Gehrke began his habit of hibernating in 1913 and continued it until his death in 1942.
Here's some sources where you can read more about him: The Milwaukee Journal - Sep 29, 1935, Watertown History, and the Wisconsin State Journal.
Posted By: Alex - Wed May 07, 2014 -
Comments (7)
Category: Eccentrics, Sleep and Dreams, 1930s
Terrifying Mask Man
More on the artist.
Posted By: Paul - Sat May 03, 2014 -
Comments (0)
Category: Art, Disguises, Impersonations, Mimics and Forgeries, 1930s
Beetle Game
I want to see Hasbro or Mattel market this game today.
Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 24, 2014 -
Comments (6)
Category: Games, Insects and Spiders, 1930s
Johnson Smith Catalog Item #31
From the 1930s catalog.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Apr 21, 2014 -
Comments (16)
Category: Etiquette and Formal Behavior, Johnson Smith Catalog, Sexuality, Books, 1930s
Nazi Musicals
The Ginger Rogers of Nazi Germany.
More on Marika Rokk here and here.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 10, 2014 -
Comments (6)
Category: Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers, Movies, War, 1930s, 1940s, Dance, Europe
Early Sexbots
Posted By: Paul - Wed Apr 09, 2014 -
Comments (3)
Category: Puppets and Automatons, Sex Toys, 1930s, 1940s
Gay’s Lion Farm
For almost 20 years, the only commercial lion breeding facility (and tourist attraction) "in the world."
The Wikipedia entry.
Article from 1926.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 26, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Animals, Farming, Sightseeing, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s
Three Decades of Slimming
Posted By: Paul - Fri Mar 14, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Exercise and Fitness, Food, Self-help Schemes, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s
Civic Pride
An AP story that circulated in July 1936:
Every day, at an unannounced time, all fire sirens would start screaming simultaneously. Every citizen would stop whatever he might be doing, turn to the nearest person, vigorously shake his hand and say enthusiastically, "We're living in the finest city in the United States!"
The chamber took it under advisement.
Posted By: Alex - Thu Mar 13, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: 1930s
Supporting his father
Back in 1932, 14-year-old Charles Highfield was promoted by his father as being the strongest boy in Great Britain. In the first picture, that's the father standing on his son's neck. The Coventry Telegraph has a bit more info about Charles's brief career as a strongman.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Mar 11, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Sports, Teenagers, 1930s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |