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TIL that in 1857, New York City installed eleven 47-foot cast-iron fire lookout towers across the city. These towers were manned by volunteers as an early detection system to help protect a city largely built of wood. Today, only one remains, located in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.

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16VpV TIL citizens in North Queensland, Australia hold an annual "Toad Day Out" every March 29 where thousands of cane toads are captured and humanely destroyed inspired by the "Whacking Day" episode of The Simpsons.
mxkOo TIL that in 1857, when he was 45 years, Charles Dickens left his wife and the mother of his ten children for an 18 year old actress, who would remain his mistress for the remainder of his life.
P6pZ TIL: There are still 12 Blockbuster video stores, and 7 of them are in Alaska
7EXP TIL Finnish schools use a considerable amount of time to teach crafts and arts skills, like home economics, textiles, and woodwork. Unlike in other countries, where these subjects are treated as an awkward add-on, in Finland they have become a cornerstone of a child’s education.
ewEJ TIL of bug chasers, an uncommon homosexual subculture in which men without HIV actively seek out those with HIV for sex so they can contract the virus.