January 30 isn’t just another day—it’s an absolute goldmine of bizarre, tragic, and legendary moments in history. We’ve got vengeful posthumous executions, miracle misfires, rock ‘n’ roll defiance, and even a radioactive Boy Scout. So buckle up, because this ride through history is about to get weird.
1. When Even Death Couldn’t Save Oliver Cromwell (1661)
Imagine thinking you were finally safe from your enemies—only to find out that even death wasn’t enough of a hiding place. That’s exactly what happened to Oliver Cromwell.
Cromwell was a military geniusturnedpolitician who led England into a brief era as a republic. He played a key role in overthrowing and executing King Charles I, making him Public Enemy No. 1 for royalists.
Cromwell died peacefully in 1658 (something his enemies never got to do), but by 1661, the monarchy had been restored under King Charles II, the son of the very king Cromwell had helped behead. And let’s just say, Charles II had revenge on the brain.
His solution? Dig up Cromwell’s corpse, put it on trial, and execute it.
Yes, you read that right. Cromwell’s rotting body was exhumed, dressed up, and officially put on trial for treason. The verdict? Guilty (shocking, right?). His dead body was hanged, beheaded, and thrown into a pit. His severed head was put on a spike outside Westminster Hall—for over 20 years.
Can you imagine walking past that every morning on your way to work?
If you mess with royalty, make sure your ghost is ready for a long and awkward posthumous revenge saga.
2. The U.S. President Who Survived a 1in125,000 Assassination Attempt (1835)
Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, was not the guy you wanted to mess with.
On January 30, 1835, a painter named Richard Lawrence decided that Jackson had to go. So, in true movie villain fashion, Lawrence walked up to the president, pulled out a pistol, and fired.
But nothing happened.
His gun misfired—which was already pretty rare. But don’t worry, he had a backup pistol!
So he pulled out a second gun and fired again. And… it misfired too.
Now, if you’re wondering what the odds of both guns failing at the exact same time are, it’s about 1 in 125,000.
At this point, Jackson was furious. Instead of running or calling for help, he whipped out his cane and beat Lawrence senseless—to the point where bystanders had to pull the enraged 67 year old off the would be assassin.
Lawrence later claimed he was the rightful King of England, which probably explains the whole poor assassination attempt thing.
Moral of the story? If you’re going to take on Andrew Jackson, bring a weapon that actually works—or prepare to get cane whipped by an angry old man.
3. The Worst Maritime Disaster No One Talks About (1945)
Everyone knows about the Titanic. But what if I told you that the deadliest ship sinking in history wasn’t the Titanic—it was the Wilhelm Gustloff?
On January 30, 1945, the German ship Wilhelm Gustloff was packed with over 10,000 people, mostly women, children, and wounded soldiers fleeing the Soviet army.
Just before midnight, a Soviet submarine spotted the ship and fired three torpedoes.
The result? Over 9,000 deaths—six times more than the Titanic.
The worst part? Hardly anyone talks about it.
The Nazis suppressed news of the disaster (because mass civilian deaths weren’t great for morale), and after the war, Germany wasn’t exactly in a position to publicize its own tragedies.
Today, the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff remains the deadliest maritime disaster ever—but one of history’s most forgotten tragedies.
4. The Beatles’ Last Concert Was Literally Illegal (1969)
On January 30, 1969, The Beatles played their final live concert ever—but instead of a planned farewell tour, they climbed onto a rooftop and started jamming.
This wasn’t some big, scripted event. The Beatles were frustrated with studio work and thought, “Screw it, let’s just play.” So they went up to the roof of their Apple Corps headquarters in London and performed what would go down as one of the most legendary concerts in rock history.
There was just one problem: They didn’t have permission.
The impromptu concert caused chaos in the streets. People stopped in their tracks, traffic backed up, and London police were NOT amused.
After about 42 minutes, authorities stormed the rooftop and shut it down.
But by then, The Beatles had already made history.
5. The Radioactive Boy Scout (1996)
Some kids build treehouses. Others build nuclear reactors in their backyard.
In 1996, a Michigan teenager named David Hahn took his love for science to insane levels. Instead of doing normal school projects, Hahn decided to build a makeshift nuclear reactor in a shed.
How did he do it?
He collected radium from clocks
He took americium from smoke detectors
He scavenged uranium from lab equipment
Basically, he built a radioactive disaster zone in his backyard.
Eventually, the EPA got involved because his “experiment” was emitting dangerous radiation levels across the neighborhood. His backyard was declared a Superfund hazardous waste site—meaning it had to be decontaminated like a mini Chernobyl.
And the wildest part? He wasn’t even TRYING to be dangerous. He just really, really wanted to build a reactor.
6. The Crusader Head Heist (2014)
Some people steal cars. Others steal ancient mummified heads from crypts.
In 2014, thieves broke into St. Michan’s Church in Dublin and made off with the head of a centuriesold Crusader.
Why? No one really knows. It’s not like you can pawn “medieval mummy head” on eBay.
Even weirder—the head was mysteriously returned weeks later. No explanation, no arrests, just one very confused police force and a lot of jokes about mummy curses.
7. The Chicken That Lived Without a Head (1947)
Okay, now for the absolute weirdest entry on this list:
Meet Mike the Headless Chicken.
In 1945, a farmer named Lloyd Olsen in Colorado tried to behead a chicken for dinner. Only, he missed.
Instead of dying, Mike just kept on living.
Not only did Mike survive—he thrived. He walked around, tried to peck at food, and even gained weight. Olsen, realizing he had a goldmine on his hands, started taking Mike on tour across the U.S.
For 18 months, Mike lived without a head, making headlines and earning his owner the equivalent of thousands of dollars in today’s money.
How? Turns out, the axe had missed Mike’s brainstem, meaning his body just kept functioning. Eventually, he choked to death (because, well, he didn’t have a head), but not before becoming a legend.
8. The Day Yerba Buena Became San Francisco (1847)
Once upon a time, San Francisco wasn’t called San Francisco—it was called Yerba Buena.
On January 30, 1847, city officials decided to give it a more marketable name, and thus, San Francisco was born. Considering the gold rush, tech boom, and cultural revolutions that followed, it turned out to be a pretty solid rebranding decision.
The Takeaway
From headless chickens to rooftop concerts, posthumous executions to miraculous assassination failures, January 30 has given the world some of the strangest, wildest, and most legendary moments in history.
So next time you’re going about your day on January 30, just remember—you might just be living through the next bizarre entry in history’s long, weird timeline.
