We Never Knew These American Small Towns Existed, and Now We’re Intrigued

Most people associate mummification with Egypt, but they aren’t the only ones who performed the process. For example, a farmer in West Virginia in the late 1880s was so fascinated by what the Egyptians did that he decided to give it a try himself. Unfortunately, he didn’t have directions, so he did the next best thing; he experimented.

He practiced on small animals at first until he felt he’d solved the riddle. He purchased the bodies of two women and a baby from an insane asylum, and his experiment was a success. He had managed to solve the mystery of mummification but refused to sell the recipe to the Smithsonian when they came knocking. However, you can visit the mummies in a local museum if you are interested!