WEEK OF MARCH 24

• Now a National Historic Landmark, the SS Badger was a coal-fired ferry that began service on Lake Michigan between Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Ludington, Michigan, in 1953. Badger and her sister ship, SS Spartan, were built to carry railroad freight cars across the lake. Spartan has since been decommissioned, and Badger now takes passengers and motor vehicles on the four-hour crossing.

• We wouldn’t be “Homo sapiens” without Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist who developed scientific binomial nomenclature, the genus and species naming style we use today.

• Unlike Betty Crocker, who was a creation of the General Mills marketing department, Duncan Hines was a real person. A traveling salesman from Bowling Green, Kentucky, Hines sampled local restaurants as he crisscrossed the country for work. His list of favorites became the basis for his 1936 book, “Adventures in Good Eating,” a veritable bible for road-tripping food lovers that made Duncan Hines a household name.

1. In 1916, which U.S. president signed the act that created the National Park Service?

A) Warren G. Harding

B) Theodore Roosevelt

C) William Howard Taft

D) Woodrow Wilson

2. Which flavoring comes from the seedpods of orchids?

A) Anise

B) Cinnamon

C) Saffron

D) Vanilla

3. In his 1634 poem, “Comus,” John Milton mentions a cloud with what characteristic?

1) Lonely heart

2) Silver lining

3) Thunder head

4) Violet eyes

4. Which of these is among Thomas Edison’s many inventions?

A) Laser

B) Talking doll

C) Windshield wiper

D) X-ray machine

5. Which band from the original Woodstock lineup released the album “Deja Vu” in 1970?

A) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

B) Grateful Dead

C) Jefferson Airplane

D) Santana

6. The Italian cake tiramisu traditionally is made with what type of cheese?

A) Mascarpone

B) Mozzarella

C) Parmesan

D) Ricotta

Answers

1) Woodrow Wilson signed the act that created the U.S. National Park Service.

2) Vanilla comes from the seedpods of the Vanilla planifolia orchid.

3) The idea of a cloud with a silver lining comes from the John Milton poem “Comus.”

4) Thomas Edison produced a talking doll, but it wasn’t a success. Kids thought its scratchy voice was scary.

5) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released “Deja Vu” in 1970.

6) The Italian cake tiramisu is made with mascarpone cheese.

Email Leslie at triviabitsleslie@gmail.com.