Category: Quick hits

Even in this Internet world, many of us still receive printed catalogs through the mail, especially near the holiday season. The first such catalog — more of a flyer — was sent out by Montgomery Ward late this month in 1872. That first catalog consisted of only one page, featuring 163 items for mail order purchase. The idea was so successful that by 1904, the Ward’s catalog weighed in at four pounds. Montgomery Ward ceased producing its catalog in 1985, …

An invention that has had a profound impact on our use of fabrics and on the nation’s economy was patented on this date in 1851 — the home sewing machine, developed by Isaac Singer. The idea of the sewing machine — and some working models — went back to nearly a century before 1851. But Singer’s simple, sturdy machine was the first to be a commercial success. While far fewer people sew at home as avidly as was done in …

This date 33 years ago immediately preceded the dawning of a digital age milestone. On August 12, 1981, IBM introduced its model 5150 — which soon became known simply as the “PC.” There had been consumer computer models for some years before, such as the early Apple and Commodore, but the IBM machine marked a turning point in acceptance due to the manufacturer’s prestige. The company was famous for its pioneering, large mainframe computers, and even by 1984, barely over …

On this date 40 years ago, President Richard Nixon announced on a nationwide broadcast from the Oval Office his resignation, effective the next day. The resignation and departure from the White House was in response to the long building, wide-ranging Watergate scandal and the recent passage of likely successful articles of impeachment in the House of Representatives. Just 21 months earlier, Nixon had won re-election as President in one of our most notable landslides and still the largest margin of …

On this date 50 years ago, the U.S. Congress passed one of its most controversial joint resolutions — one that was regretted in hindsight and overturned in January 1971. It was the so-called Tonkin Gulf Resolution, authorizing nearly unlimited military action in South Vietnam and leading to quick escalation of our involvement in that country. More than 9 million Americans served in the military during the nine-year Vietnam era, and nearly 2.6 million of them served in South Vietnam at …

Today is one of America’s more obscure and unusual commemorations. It’s National Fresh Breath Day, even if it is not recognized by the greeting card industry. The idea is to make people aware that having fresh breath is part of overall health and wellness, and that the solution to bad breath — technically known as halitosis — can be relatively simple. Sometimes, chronic bad breath can be a symptom of a serious illness. Mostly, it’s one of life’s most personal …

On this date precisely one century ago, American motorists got the green light to confidently proceed through increasingly traveled crossroads. A traffic light system, credited with being the first in the U.S., flashed red and green at the intersection of 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. To further prompt drivers, the words “Stop” and “Move” were emblazoned on the operating red and green lights. At the time, there were about 1.8 million motor vehicles in the U.S., six …

On this date in 1790, the young federal government issued its first bonds, promising to pay between 3 and 6 percent interest. The borrowed money was used for liquidating state debts related to the Revolutionary War and assumed by the new national government. At the time, the national debt was over $71 million. Today, the national debt is put at nearly $18 trillion. But we, the people, have a government reflective of its citizens, as Americans individually carry great debt. …

If you shop the cereal aisle in your supermarket, you’ll see dozens of brands on display, from the sugary and candy-like to high-fiber organic products. One of them has been available for well over 100 years. It was on this date in 1893 that a Denver restaurant owner, Henry Perky, received a patent for the creation shredded wheat. By 1901, he had set up an ultra-modern plant at Niagara Falls, called “the Palace of Light,” to make shredded wheat, and …

The first patent in the young United States was issued on this date in 1790 to Samuel Hopkins of Vermont for a new method of making potash — useful in producing soap, fertilizer and glass. The Constitution recognized, for the first time in history, the intrinsic right of an inventor to profit from his invention. Hopkins’ application was initially reviewed by Thomas Jefferson and approved by President Washington. By 1802, the U.S. Patent Office was established to process applications. Annually, …

The national government’s broad involvement in individual health insurance goes back to this date in 1965 when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Social Security Amendments, which established Medicare and Medicaid. The legislation was introduced in Congress in March 1965 and went through more than 500 amendments before being passed by large majorities in both the House and Senate. In 1966, President Johnson handed the first Medicare cards to former President Harry Truman, who had advocated such a program, and his …

Long before there were automobiles in the U.S., good roads were badly needed to get farm produce to market and to allow people to go visiting and shopping without battling mud. An American professor who had emigrated from Belgium — Edward de Smedt — invented an asphalt mix, which could be applied in sheets to make a smooth surface. His first trial occurred on this date in 1870 on William Street in Newark, New Jersey. Even though de Smedt’s technique …

The nation’s love affair with automobiles is generations old, and our devotion can be traced down through the decades by looking at advertising, as cars progressed from romantic if noisy new playthings to a daily necessity. The first known national ad about a car appeared at the end of July 1898 in the Scientific American magazine for the Winton Motor Carriage with the headline “dispense with a horse.” Americans did just that, and competing car companies increased spending on advertising. …

The past few decades have seen a mounting number and frequency of public opinion polls, whether from the traditional Gallup and Harris firms to those commissioned by newspapers or political campaigns. The first such poll in U.S. history appeared this month in 1824 in the Harrisburg Pennsylvanian, finding that Andrew Jackson was favored over John Quincy Adams in the four-man presidential race. Ironically, that contest drew the lowest recorded participation in our history — less than 27 percent of voters …

This is National Drive-Thru Day — noting the popularity of restaurants that take orders by intercom and then pass the food out a window to the customers wanting to keep on the move. The first such service was the idea of Robert Peterson at a Jack in the Box restaurant in San Diego in 1951, serving hamburgers for just 18 cents. At the time, drive-in restaurants were very popular. The serving staff — some even on roller skates — brought …

The home front during World War II had to cope with some irritating limitations and scarcities, notably gas rationing and a lack of new cars and tires. But what for many was a real wartime crisis was coffee rationing. Imposed in 1942 because of hoarding and supply concerns, it proved very unpopular. Late this month in 1943, President Roosevelt ended the program because imports had rebounded. Coffee is believed to have been introduced into America by Captain John Smith of …