PRESIDENTIAL TALES

From skinny-dipping to modeling: 10 little-known Presidential facts

Image: National Archives and Records Administration

Presidents of the United States are often expected to be larger-than-life—sort of superhuman—personalities, leading the nation with gravity and responsibility. However, just like anyone, they have normal lives, peculiar interests, and sometimes even intriguing personal backstories.

From unconventional hobbies to surprising personal struggles, here are 10 U.S. Presidents with untold tales that might just reshape the way you perceive these historical figures.

Image: Provincial Archives of Alberta

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. President, wasn't just known for his eloquent speeches and great leadership during the Civil War. Surprisingly, "Honest Abe" was also a very skilled wrestler in his younger days. With over 300 matches under his belt, Lincoln only ever lost one, earning him a reputation as a formidable opponent in the ring.

Image: Nikolay Tchaouchev

While Calvin Coolidge may be mostly remembered for his quiet demeanor, his private life revealed a different side. Coolidge had a penchant for unusual pets, and during his stay at the White House, he turned it into a mini zoo. Besides many other more conventional pets, he owned two raccoons, a donkey, a bobcat, several lion cubs, a Pygmy hippopotamus, a wallaby, a duiker, an antelope, a black bear, and 13 Pekin ducks. Quite the exotic collection!

Image: Albert Antony

In 1969, years before becoming the 39th President, Jimmy Carter reported a UFO sighting in Georgia. He described seeing a bright light in the night sky that changed colors before disappearing. A few years later, Carter even filed an official report with the International UFO Bureau, making him the only U.S. President to document a personal encounter with unidentified flying objects.

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Known as the "Father of His Country", George Washington had a side hustle that might surprise many. In 1799, he became one of the largest whiskey producers in the United States, operating a distillery on his Mount Vernon estate. Washington's distillery produced nearly 11,000 gallons of whiskey in 1799 alone. Despite this, Washington was a strong proponent of moderation, knowing well the dangers of drinking alcohol in excess.

Image: Austrian National Library

Beyond his many political achievements, Teddy Roosevelt was an avid boxer throughout his life. He kept a boxing gym in the White House and sparred with various aides and diplomats.

While he embraced vigorous physical activities as a means of fighting various health issues, he was occasionally injured. He reportedly lost sight in one eye due to a detached retina from a particularly intense boxing match with a military aide, proving that he truly embodied his maxim: Speak softly and carry a big stick.

Image: Tyler Palmer

John Quincy Adams, the 6th President, had an unconventional daily routine. He was known for skinny-dipping in the cold waters of the Potomac River every morning, believing it invigorated both his body and mind. At the time, it wasn’t odd to bathe naked in a river, but his doctor wasn’t fully convinced of the health benefits of his peculiar practice. However, Adams staunchly defended his right to do so, and sometimes even invited family members or political acquaintances to join him in the Potomac.

Image: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library

Before entering politics, Gerald Ford left his mark in the fashion industry. In his late twenties, he worked as a model, even appearing on the cover of Cosmopolitan in 1942. Ford's modeling career was short-lived, as a few years later he would start campaigning in local Republican politics, but it adds an unexpected layer to the image of the 38th President.

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Often remembered for his shortcomings—like the Watergate scandal—Richard Nixon had a hidden musical talent: playing the piano. Reportedly, he was an accomplished pianist, even performing with the likes of Pearl Bailey and Jack Benny. Behind his political mask, he was an intelligent and sensitive man, and while his musical abilities were overshadowed by his political career, it shows that there’s always more to a person than meets the eye.

Image: Alicia Razuri

Thomas Jefferson, 3rd U.S. President and one of the most influential political figures in the history of our country, was known for being proficient in several languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, and German. He was interested in linguistics and studied ancient languages like Latin, Greek, and even Old English. Documents found posthumously in his library suggest that he was also interested in Arabic, Irish, and Welsh, but it is unknown how proficient he was in those languages.

Image: Camille Brodard

Before Ronald Reagan entered politics, he worked as a lifeguard, saving 77 lives during his seven summers on duty. He even saved a little girl from drowning while serving as Governor of California! Reagan's transition from lifeguard to Hollywood actor eventually paved the way for his political career, proving that even the most unexpected career paths can lead to the highest office.

10 weird historical events that no one has been able to explain (yet)

Image: Walters Art Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Who doesn't like a good mystery? And if the mystery isn’t a work of fiction but the result of a true story, even better! The great unsolved enigmas of history are absolutely fascinating. Some have been solved over time, but there are still many old secrets for which neither scientists nor historians have found an explanation—yet. Time-travel with us as we uncover 10 of the biggest historical mysteries that will probably never be cracked!

Image: Tanner, Henry S., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Bermeja Island is mentioned in navigation texts written by European travelers and appears in cartography from the 16th to 19th centuries. Old maps place it off the north coast of the Yucatán Peninsula; however, multiple searches over the years have yielded no concrete evidence of its existence.

So, what happened to Isla Bermeja? Was it a cartographic error? Did it sink due to a tidal wave? Because of its geopolitical significance, some have even suggested that it was blown up by the CIA! A 2009 study by the Autonomous University of Mexico concluded that Isla Bermeja does not exist today, nor were any traces found at its supposed coordinates. Yet, it will forever remain a mystery that will surely keep many entertained.

Image: Credit: Big Ear Radio Observatory and North American AstroPhysical Observatory (NAAPO)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1977, Ohio State University’s Big Ear radio telescope, used in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, detected a signal now known as the Wow! signal. While reviewing the data, astronomer Jerry R. Ehman noticed a sequence represented as "6EQUJ5." Baffled by the anomaly, he circled it and wrote "Wow!" in the margins.

The signal lasted 72 seconds and, unfortunately, has never been repeated. To this day, no one can fully explain the phenomenon, although some suggest it may have come from a man-made source. Still, the Wow! signal remains one of the strongest candidates for potential extraterrestrial contact ever detected.

Image: Edward S. Curtis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

How is it possible for an entire village to vanish without a trace? Believe it or not, this is said to have happened nearly a century ago. According to lore, a small Inuit village in Canada was well known among fur trappers who visited regularly to trade. But in 1930, something very strange supposedly occurred.

A hunter named Joe Labelle claimed he visited the village one day and couldn’t find a single person. Reports said there were guns and food left behind, and even claims that the graves in the cemetery were empty. A thorough investigation, however, found no conclusive evidence of what happened to the villagers. Some witnesses from nearby towns even reported seeing a huge green light. Theories ranged from mass migration to extraterrestrial abductions. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has since dismissed the case as an urban legend. Some still believe the story to be true.

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We know thousands of shipwreck stories, but this one is quite unique. The MV Joyita, designed to be nearly unsinkable, was found adrift in the South Pacific, practically unharmed, but the crew had disappeared completely.

In October 1955, the American merchant vessel left the port of Apia in Samoa with 16 crew members and 9 passengers bound for the Tokelau Islands. After days without news, a rescue mission was launched. Five weeks later, the Joyita was spotted more than 600 miles west of its intended route. The vessel was partially submerged, and there was no sign of the passengers or crew. Four tons of cargo and all three life rafts were missing. They were never seen again.

Image: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Do you know where one of the best-preserved mummies was found? Hint: not in Egypt. Xin Zhui, the Marquise of Dai during the Western Han Dynasty in China, was discovered in her tomb at Mawangdui 2,000 years after her death, along with hundreds of valuable documents and artifacts.

What makes this mummy so extraordinary is how well-preserved her body is. Her organs and veins remain intact, and she still has hair and even eyelashes. Scientists analyzed the fluid present in the coffin and discovered it was acidic and contained salt and magnesium. They believe this mysterious liquid may have been responsible for preserving Xin Zhui so well. What they don’t know is whether it was intentionally poured into the coffin or came from the body itself.

Image: Yoichi Okamoto, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The United States has its fair share of presidents who died while in office, but none of our 45 presidents have ever disappeared without a trace. Did you know that this actually happened in The Land Down Under?

Harold Edward Holt was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1966 until his presumed death in 1967. He loved the ocean and spearfishing. During a weekend trip with friends, Holt visited the remote Cheviot Beach to take a swim. Rough sea conditions that day caused him to be swept away by the waves, and he never reappeared. Despite an intensive search, his body was never found, which has given rise to numerous conspiracy theories. Ironically, Australians built the Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre in Melbourne in his honor.

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Many famous criminals have managed to remain unidentified for decades, but the D.B. Cooper case is something else entirely. In 1971, Cooper boarded a flight from Portland to Seattle. Shortly after takeoff, he showed a flight attendant a device he claimed was a bomb and demanded four parachutes and $200,000 in cash.

The crew landed to meet Cooper’s demands in exchange for the passengers and then took off again. As the plane flew over southwestern Washington, Cooper jumped into the cold, rainy night carrying his haul. His whereabouts and true identity were never discovered, although it is likely he didn’t survive the jump. In 1980, some of the ransom money was found near the Columbia River. Although the FBI officially closed the case in 2016, amateur sleuths continue to try to crack it.

Image: Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Can you imagine an epidemic where the main symptom is uncontrollable dancing? Sounds like science fiction, doesn’t it? Yet this really happened during the Middle Ages. In 1518, a dancing plague struck Strasbourg, Alsace, in what is now France. This strange condition affected up to 400 people, making them dance frantically for weeks. It is said that some even died of heart attacks, exhaustion, or strokes.

Doctors and authorities tried all kinds of measures to stop the spread. They even banned music for a while! To this day, scientists are not certain what caused this bizarre condition: it may have been food poisoning from toxins in the ergot fungus, or perhaps a case of stress-induced mass hysteria.

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The Voynich manuscript is a codex written roughly 500 years ago in an unknown language and writing system by an anonymous author. Known as Voynichese, the manuscript was named after Wilfrid Voynich, a Polish bibliophile and antiquarian who purchased it in 1912.

Radiocarbon testing has shown that it dates to the early 15th century. Many cryptographers and codebreakers have attempted to decipher its roughly 240 pages without success. The manuscript contains diagrams and illustrations of unknown plants and astrological symbols. Some believe it may be a made-up language, a secret code, a work of fiction, or even a hoax. If you think you can solve this mystery, the Voynich manuscript is available for viewing at Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Image: Bernhard

Similar to the Voynich manuscript, the Phaistos Disc is a fired clay disc believed to have been created during the Bronze Age. It was discovered by an Italian archaeologist in the basement of a palace in Crete, Greece, in 1908.

What makes this disc fascinating is that it contains a mysterious message. Stamped into the clay is a set of signs, forming a text that many scientists have tried to decipher—without success. It is considered an early attempt at printing, a technological innovation that would not become widespread for several centuries. While enthusiasts still hope the enigma can be solved, this is unlikely unless other documents are discovered to provide context.