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In 1968, Jeff McKissack began building Houston’s Orange Show from salvaged materials, creating a unique folk art landmark that opened to the public in 1979

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In 1968, Jeff McKissack began building Houston’s Orange Show from salvaged materials, creating a unique folk art landmark that opened to the public in 1979

In October 1977, William Martin wrote in Texas Monthly that the Orange Show, a folk art site on Munger Street in southeast Houston, was the passion of its creator, Jeff McKissack, then 75. McKissack told William Martin in a Texas Monthly interview, “I work on it every day.” The complex, built from salvaged materials, honours … Read more

In 2015, New Jersey began installing 40 oyster reefs along about 800 metres of Gandy’s Beach; the structures later supported more than 800 live oysters per square metre and cut storm-wave height by up to 51%

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In 2015, New Jersey began installing 40 oyster reefs along about 800 metres of Gandy's Beach; the structures later supported more than 800 live oysters per square metre and cut storm-wave height by up to 51%

The project included 27 concrete “oyster castle” breakwaters and 13 shell-bag reefs. In an unusual effort to protect an eroding stretch of New Jersey’s Delaware Bay shoreline, 40 constructed oyster reefs were installed at Gandy’s Beach Preserve between 2015 and 2016.A new study published in Frontiers in Marine Science examined the project along with other … Read more

In 1834, the O’Connor family’s Texas ranching legacy began; 191 years later, an $8.863 million deal protected 6,409 acres of coastal prairie while keeping it a working cattle ranch

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In 1834, the O'Connor family's Texas ranching legacy began; 191 years later, an $8.863 million deal protected 6,409 acres of coastal prairie while keeping it a working cattle ranch

O’Connor ranching legacy began in 1834; 6,409 acres of Texas prairie protected 191 years later (Image Credit: Kenny Braun) A Texas ranching legacy that began in 1834 is now tied to one of the state’s major private-land conservation efforts. An $8.863 million conservation easement has permanently protected approximately 6,409 acres of the historic T.M. O’Connor … Read more

Australia began turning waste plastic into railway sleepers in 2015, saving timber; the recycled material could last up to 50 years

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Australia began turning waste plastic into railway sleepers in 2015, saving timber; the recycled material could last up to 50 years

Australia began experimenting with railway sleepers made from recycled plastic in 2015, turning material that might otherwise have gone to landfill into a component designed to sit beneath railway tracks. Developed by Integrated Recycling with researchers at Monash University’s Institute of Railway Technology, the Duratrack sleeper is made from about 85% post-consumer plastic waste, including … Read more

A 558-acre Wyoming ranch sat unsold for 14 months even after its price fell from nearly $20 million to $15 million; when owners scheduled a no-reserve auction, a buyer made an offer before bidding even began

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A 558-acre Wyoming ranch sat unsold for 14 months even after its price fell from nearly $20 million to $15 million; when owners scheduled a no-reserve auction, a buyer made an offer before bidding even began

Miner Creek Ranch’s 4,600-square-foot main home features rustic white logs and smooth river rock. A 558-acre ranch near Bondurant, Wyoming, remained on the market for 14 months despite a price cut from nearly $20 million to $15 million. The property, known as Miner Creek Ranch, had been listed in July 2025, but the lower asking … Read more

He never married or had children; after his death, his estate began funding engineering students at NC State, where he once studied

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He never married or had children; after his death, his estate began funding engineering students at NC State, where he once studied

Guy Burke never married and had no children, but his legacy has continued to teach students at the university where he once struggled to afford his education. His connection with NC State began in 1953, when his interest in aircraft led him to study mechanical and aeronautical engineering. His path to graduation was interrupted several … Read more

In 2013, Rob Scheer began packing backpacks at his dining table after recalling carrying his belongings in trash bags as a foster child; his charity has distributed 300,000+ backpacks

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In 2013, Rob Scheer began packing backpacks at his dining table after recalling carrying his belongings in trash bags as a foster child; his charity has distributed 300,000+ backpacks

A simple effort around a dining table, started in 2013 to protect the dignity of children entering foster care, has grown into an international charity that has provided essential items to hundreds of thousands of young people. Rob Scheer began packing backpacks at home after seeing his newly adopted foster children arrive carrying their belongings … Read more

In 1964, an Arizona couple began building a carport with discarded bottles; years later, the project had grown into a 2,700-sq-ft home made with thousands of bottles and listed for $432,500

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In 1964, an Arizona couple began building a carport with discarded bottles; years later, the project had grown into a 2,700-sq-ft home made with thousands of bottles and listed for $432,500

Main entrance of the constructed bottle and rock home (Source: Coldwell Banker Realty) A Tucson couple’s simple plan to build a shelter for a family car in 1964 grew into a 2,700-square-foot home made from tens of thousands of discarded glass bottles. The unusual property has now been put on the market for $432,500 (£342,000). … Read more

In the early 1970s, David Wolkowsky began stewarding a remote island near Key West and hosted famous guests there; decades later the 14-acre Ballast Key became part of a national wildlife refuge

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In the early 1970s, David Wolkowsky began stewarding a remote island near Key West and hosted famous guests there; decades later the 14-acre Ballast Key became part of a national wildlife refuge

A private 14-acre island nine miles west of Key West that once hosted famous writers and Hollywood stars has officially become part of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. The move completes a conservation effort that lasted for decades. Known as Ballast Key, the remote tropical island was bought in the early 1970s by the … Read more

After arriving in the US with $500, former tennis player Andres Bernal began investing in Connecticut real estate in 2016; a decade later, he says he owns more than 60 rental units worth over $12 million

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After arriving in the US with $500, former tennis player Andres Bernal began investing in Connecticut real estate in 2016; a decade later, he says he owns more than 60 rental units worth over $12 million

Bernal’s approach has also evolved with the performance of individual properties. He and his partners have sold some older Connecticut properties where substantial equity was tied up but cash flow no longer justified holding them. When Andres Bernal arrived in the United States with $500, his immediate goal was not to build a real estate … Read more