On this day in 1822, a future U.S. President -- the 19th one, to be exact -- was born in Delaware, Ohio. Can you guess who it was? If you're not sure, you are certainly not alone. Rutherford B. Hayes, who served only one term in office (from 1877-1881), is one of the country's largely forgotten commanders-in-chief. Although Hayes studied law at Harvard University, he wasn't born into wealth. In fact, as a young lawyer, he lived in his office for a while to save money while building his practice. Before becoming President, he saw action in the Civil War as a Union general. He later served as a congressman for two years and was elected the 29th and 32nd Governor of Ohio. Because of his attention to manners and his teetotaling lifestyle (i.e., he didn't drink), he earned the nickname "Old Granny." Hayes' wife Lucy, for her part, was called "Lemonade Lucy" because it was assumed she insisted that he ban all liquor from the White House. Howe...

Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th president of the United States, is undoubtedly one of the least remembered commanders-in-chief in the nation's history. He was born on this day in 1822 in Delaware, Ohio. Though not born into a wealthy family, Hayes went on to study law at Harvard University. As a young lawyer, he lived in his office briefly to save money while building his practice. Hayes, an honest and principled man who didn't drink, was nicknamed “Old Granny” for his attention to manners. He and his family were also temperance reformers and fervent abolitionists. His wife Lucy is believed to have insisted that her husband ban all alcohol from the White House -- an act that shocked visiting dignitaries and earned her the moniker “Lemonade Lucy.” However, it was originally Hayes’ idea to impose temperance on White House visitors. Cabinet members and advisors would frequently join Hayes and his family in prayer and in singing hymns. Supporters appreciated Hayes’ sense of f...

Can you think of something that's simultaneously fun and stressful? At first blush, those two words may seem all but contradictory. While many of us might point to parenthood, school, or our jobs, there's one thing I'm in the midst of doing that might also make the list for many of you: travel planning.  My wife and I are currently planning a trip to Boston.  As you probably know, there's a plethora of things to do and see in Beantown, from walking along the 2.5-mile stretch known as the Freedom Trail to taking a tour of Fenway Park to visiting a wide array of colleges and universities in the area, most notably Harvard and MIT. As a history nerd, the thought of soaking up so much of it is highly stimulating, not to mention orienting myself with a city I've only seen up to now in pictures, books, and movies.  But as any avid traveler would note, planning a vacation takes some time and effort. For example, you have to be mindful of the busine...

On this day in 1693, The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, received its charter, thereby becoming the second institution of higher learning in the United States (after Harvard University). The original plans for William & Mary stretch back to 1618 -- decades before Harvard -- but were tabled by an "Indian uprising." James Blair traveled to Britain to advocate for a college on behalf of his fellow Virginians. On February 8, 1693, King William III and Queen Mary II of England signed the charter for a "perpetual College of Divinity, Philosophy, Languages, and other good Arts and Sciences" to be founded in the Virginia Colony. Just like that, William & Mary was born. Workers commenced construction on the Sir Christopher Wren Building, then known as the College Building in 1695, before the town of Williamsburg even existed. Over the next two centuries, the Wren Building would catch fire on three separate occasions, each time being re-...