Category: Quick hits

When dark days in U.S. history are remembered, they usually include Pearl Harbor and the September 11 terrorist attacks, which killed about 2,400 and 3,000 people, respectively. But the single bloodiest day in American history occurred 150 years ago today, in the Civil War battle of Antietam, near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Forces of Union General George McClellan and the Confederate troops of General Robert E. Lee met in a daylong pitched battle. By its end, more than 23,000 soldiers had been …

All summer long, millions of Americans have been enjoying ice cream cones. The exact origin of the cone is a subject of controversy. This month in 1903, an Italian immigrant in New York City — Italo Marchiony — filed a patent for a waffle-like pastry cup to hold ice cream. But he later lost court cases against makers of devices, which produced cone-shaped holders for ice cream. Whoever actually invented the ice cream cone, the first ones were hand rolled. …

An unusual event gets under way today in the two small Texas towns of Rockport and Fulton — the annual Hummingbird Celebration. Some 6,000 people will celebrate the spectacular fall migration of ruby-throated hummingbirds from their northern nesting grounds to winter locations in Mexico and Central America, including their 500 mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico. One activity is capturing and banding hummingbirds to track their movements. Nearly 14 million people across the U.S. enjoy bird watching each year. …

One of the nation’s historical treasures is the wooden frigate USS Constitution, better known as “Old Ironsides.” Launched in 1797, the ship became famous in the War of 1812. In September 1830, it was reported that the fabled vessel was to be scrapped. This led young law student Oliver Wendell Holmes to publish a poem in the ship’s defense in a Boston newspaper. The result was a national uproar, and Congress voted to restore the ship, which to this day …

Eleven years ago today, America experienced one of its darkest days — the coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon by terrorists flying hijacked airliners. A fourth aircraft crashed in rural Pennsylvania, as passengers fought with the hijackers. At the Pentagon, the attack killed 189 civilian and military personnel. In New York, nearly 3,000 people died. By comparison, the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor in 1941 killed some 2,400. A long-lasting impact of the attacks is …

The first coast-to-coast highway in the United States opened on this date in 1913. Known as the Lincoln Highway, the road originally ran for almost 3,400 miles through 13 states. Nicknamed “the Main Street across America,” the highway brought economic progress to many cities, towns and villages along its route. As a young army officer, Dwight Eisenhower drove in an army convoy on the Lincoln Highway — an experience that fostered his support as president for the Interstate Highway System …

Today marks the birthday of famous heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey, who has been described as “perhaps the greatest surgeon ever.” While still in medical school, DeBakey invented the roller pump, a key piece of equipment in open heart surgery. During his long professional career, he invented at least 50 instruments for heart and artery repair. He is also credited as the driving force behind the establishment of the Houston Medical Center, one of the best of its kind in …

A device that most of us interact with every few days was first unveiled this week in 1905 — the gas pump. Sylvanus Bowser of Fort Wayne, Indiana made the pump for a customer, basing it on an earlier design for pumping kerosene. As the number of cars increased dramatically, the pumps became very popular. Eventually, his name became a generic term for a fuel dispenser, and gas pumps in New Zealand and Australia are still called “Bowsers.” Across the …

Wildfires — and what to do to prevent them –have been in the news a lot in the last few years. One of the largest blazes in U.S. history started on this date in 1881 in the upper peninsula of Michigan. After a long, dry summer, gale force winds turned several small fires into an inferno that blackened a million acres in just three days. The death toll reached 125 and thousands more were left homeless. Helping the victims of …

One of the things we usually take for granted is that our morning newspaper will appear on our doorstep every day. For over 150 years, getting papers to their subscribers was the chore of a small army of newspaper delivery boys. Usually somewhere between 10 and 15, youngsters hungry for their own pocket money got up at 4 a.m. to bicycle or walk through their neighborhoods to toss papers onto front porches. Today is the anniversary of the hiring of …

In 1882, Matthew Maguire, a machinist, first proposed the holiday while serving as secretary of the CLU (Central Labor Union) of New York.[2] Others argue that it was first proposed by Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor in May 1882,[3] after witnessing the annual labor festival held in Toronto, Canada.[4] Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday in 1887. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor …

It may sound unlikely, but one of the biggest Italian-themed festivals in the U.S. is located in West Virginia. Beginning today and running through September 2nd, the 34th West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival will draw 100,000 people to the town of Clarksburg for a sample of all things Italian. Those attending will have a chance to enjoy a parade and live entertainment, as well as a homemade wine contest, and naturally, Italian food. Along that line, one highlight will be …

Labor Day weekend sees a lot of traditional events in all corners of the country. Starting tomorrow, the folks in Kewanee, Illinois are holding their 59th annual Hog Capital of the World Festival. By the time it’s over on Monday, the festival will attract 40,000 people to sample the world’s largest pork chop barbecue. They’ll also see Model T races, a parade, top flight entertainment — and a four-mile run known as the Hog Stampede. There are nearly 65 million …