Stories from the strange trail
Book news, curious history, unusual destinations, and behind-the-scenes discoveries from Spark Trail Press.
Read the latest stories
Latest stories and discoveries
Take the scenic route through odd history, weird America, and wonderfully unconventional travel.
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Firearms History Invented Pocket Cannons, Duck Feet, and Several Terrible Ideas
Pocket cannons, duck’s foot pistols, volley guns, pepperboxes, and famous mechanical misfires reveal the wonderfully strange history behind firearms innovation.
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Switzerland Built Perfect Trains, Then Added a Baby Eating Fountain
Baby eating fountains, current powered ferries, alien art, dragon mountains, the Devil’s Bridge, and practical advice for exploring Switzerland by train.
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The Smokies Have Bear Jams, Ghost Towns, and a Road to Nowhere
Bear jams, abandoned cabins, moonshine lore, Cherokee history, a road to nowhere, and current fall travel advice for the Great Smoky Mountains.
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Coffee Was Banned, Smuggled, and Blamed on Dancing Goats
Dancing goats, coffeehouse conspiracies, royal bans, smuggled beans, revolutionaries, and the strange machines behind the world’s favorite cup.
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Rome Let the Statues Talk and the Cats Take Over
Rome’s strangest sights lead from gladiator tunnels and talking statues to sacred cats, bone chapels, a secret keyhole, and Vatican oddities.
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Salem Had Witch Trials. Boston Had a Molasses Flood.
Witch trial sites, haunted taverns, revolutionary arguments, old graveyards, a deadly molasses flood, and practical advice for exploring Salem and Boston.
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Halloween Grew Up With Ghosts, Turnips, and Mild Extortion
Turnip lanterns, wandering spirits, fortune cakes, unruly pranksters, strange costumes, and the wonderfully odd history behind Halloween night.
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Europe Put Monsters, Witches, and a Giant Goat Under the Christmas Tree
Meet Europe’s stranger Christmas traditions, from Krampus and the Yule Lads to the Mari Lwyd, La Befana, and one famously vulnerable Swedish goat.
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Utah Built 2,000 Arches and Then Added a Canyon Maze
Explore Arches, Canyonlands, Moab’s strange history, desert pothole creatures, impossible roads, and practical tips for surviving Utah’s red rock wonderland.
Pick your kind of weird
Explore strange places across America, unexpected corners of Europe, or true history that sounds completely made up.
Explore the three series