1950s

A Vermont farmer built a dam in the 1950s; its 2022 removal restored the farm creeks floodplain to slow stormwater flowing into Lake Champlain

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A dam built in the early 1950s for an irrigation pond came out in 2022, and the valley below was reshaped into a wide floodplain and wetland. (AI-generated/ChatGPT)

Anyone who’s seen a street flood after a heavy storm knows just how quickly water can move when it has nowhere to go. That was the problem with a small Vermont creek for decades. The fix began with taking something out. According to the Vermont Land Trust, a dairy farmer in Colchester built an earthen … Read more

In the 1950s, the US pet trade began importing caimans; decades later, they may be competing with native crocodilians in the Everglades wetlands

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The spectacled caiman, a small crocodilian, now lives in parts of the Florida Everglades. (Wikimedia Commons)

There’s a small reptile that looks like a baby alligator somewhere in the Florida Everglades, living far from its home in Central and South America. That’s the story of the spectacled caiman. According to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers news release, caimans have been established in Florida since the 1970s and were spotted there … Read more

Texas brought aoudad sheep from Africa for hunters in the 1950s; they spread widely and now compete with native bighorn for food and habitat

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Aoudad (Barbary sheep), native to northern Africa and first released in Texas in 1957. (Wikimedia Commons)

A new animal can often seem like a small addition to a landscape, but things can go wrong very fast. Aoudad are native to northern Africa, but were introduced into the wild in Palo Duro Canyon, Texas, in 1957, according to a 2025 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension fact sheet. Since then, these long-horned sheep have … Read more

In 1994, a golfer paid $5 for a green jacket at a Toronto thrift store; it was later confirmed as an authentic 1950s Augusta National club jacket, and it sold at auction in 2017 for $139,349

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In 1994, a golfer paid $5 for a green jacket at a Toronto thrift store; it was later confirmed as an authentic 1950s Augusta National club jacket, and it sold at auction in 2017 for $139,349

A golfer was browsing through a Toronto thrift store when he came across a green jacket. The item looked interesting, and he knew this was an unusual find. It was priced at $5, so he bought it anyway.More than two decades later, the same jacket was sold for $139,349 at auction after Augusta National Golf … Read more

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Nile perch were introduced into Lake Victoria to improve fisheries; decades later the predator was linked to the loss of many native cichlids and transformation of the lake’s fishery

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In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Nile perch were introduced into Lake Victoria to improve fisheries; decades later the predator was linked to the loss of many native cichlids and transformation of the lake’s fishery

Nile PerchPhoto: Wikipedia In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Nile perch were introduced into Lake Victoria with the hope that the large predatory fish would strengthen local fisheries. The decision was intended to create new commercial opportunities and increase the supply of valuable fish. Instead, the species spread through one of the world’s largest … Read more

Nebraska couple to auction 350-vehicle classic Chevrolet collection after housing development near property; hundreds of Impalas, Caprices and other vehicles from the 1950s to 1970s included

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Nebraska couple to auction 350-vehicle classic Chevrolet collection after housing development near property; hundreds of Impalas, Caprices and other vehicles from the 1950s to 1970s included

A Nebraska couple is preparing to auction about 350 classic Chevrolet vehicles after development around their property led to code-enforcement pressure over their decades-old collection. Tim and Mary Robinson of Saunders County have spent more than 40 years collecting full-size Chevrolets, building a collection that eventually grew to nearly 450 vehicles. The cars being offered … Read more