Article Archives: Bumps in the Night

Paul Newman and the Indy 500

This column first appeared in July 2010. I have many heroes in my life ranging from the rich and famous (Abraham Lincoln, Jimmy Carter, Harry Truman, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Jr. to name a few) to the not-so-rich and famous (My wife Rhonda, my kids Jasmine and Addison, … Read More

In Search of Ann Rutledge: Lincoln’s lost love

On March 1 I visited Springfield Illinois while working on an ongoing book project. My wife Rhonda wanted me out of the house for a couple of days for heavy spring cleaning. So I took advantage of an opportunity to visit some of the places I had long wished to … Read More

Collectible Cookie Jars

This column first appeared in January 2011. In the late 1700s the British needed a way to keep their tasty morsels fresh, so they invented the biscuit jar. It took about 125 years for this idea make its way across the Atlantic to America, but when it did it was … Read More

San Francisco Memories

This column first appeared in May 2011. Al is currently on a research trip. Anyone familiar with my columns knows that I have a love for historical objects. In my travels to antique shops, malls and shows I often run across amazing things. Some I purchase, some I simply gaze … Read More

The Black Day of the General Assembly

This column first appeared in April 2011. Al is on a research trip. During the 1880s, Indiana industry began to grow rapidly due to the Indiana Natural Gas Boom and the ensuing creation of many new labor unions and a return to Democratic control of the General Assembly. One of … Read More