1898 - Joshua Slocum becomes the first man to sail single-handedly around the world in the Spray - a 36-foot-9-inch (11.20 m) oyster sloop.

"...on June 27, 1898, he returned to Newport, Rhode Island, having circumnavigated the world, a distance of more than 46,000 miles (74,000 km). Slocum's return went almost unnoticed. The Spanish-American War which had begun two months earlier dominated the headlines. After the end of major hostilities, many American newspapers published articles describing Slocum's amazing adventure."

Battle of Mechanicsville

1927: The Cyclone roller coaster opens at Coney Island

1906: The first French Gran Prix is held

1876: George Custer five companies of the 7th Cavalry to their deaths

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
....but, fortuitously, decided against calling it the Adolphophone in a move that saved a lot of subsequent embarrassment in the 1930's.

the BBC was talking about 75 years since the Kinder Transport on the breakfast news this morning. I'm not sure though that this is the exact date, more of a midpoint. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/7742888.stm

1846: Adolphe Sax patents the saxophone

Okinawa marks 68th anniversary of bloody WWII battle

Benjamin Franklin flew a kite!

 Skaterella wrote: 
Happy Birthday to her!

my baby girl was born 9 years ago today!

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
Sounds like our MAKER'S hit their MARK!

On this day in 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the concept of a flag
with 13 stars and 13 stripes. It had been designed by Francis Hopkinson, a designer
of naval pennants (who apparently was never paid by the government for his efforts).
Many decades later a grand nephew of Betsey Ross would claim that she had
designed and sewn the first flag but as popular as the theory became there are no
records of an order, delivery or payment.
Hopkinson's case is reinforced by records that indicate that a certain G. Washington
and the Board of War thought Hopkinson's design was a naval pennant. They
requested a new standard or "colors" for the Army. (P.S. Gen. G. Washington got
his colors at war's end - 1783 - no records show what they looked like.)
Anyway, proving that the Founding Fathers were good at Constitutions but as bad as
their current heirs at loopholes, the flag law was vague. Soon there were flags with
vertical stripes and even gold stars (quite popular into the civil war). And, like today's
accountants they found fudging numbers didn't hurt. The stars and stripes mentioned
in the Star Spangled Banner flew over Fort McHenry with 15 stripes and 15 stars. Not
to worry though, your government would not let a problem linger - the flag was
finally defined - in 1959.

1947: Roswell UFO incident

1789: Elijah Craig invents bourbon

gods be praised!

 samiyam wrote: 

 islander wrote: 
Q: What do you call your pet salamander?

A: I call him Tiny.

Q: Why do you call him Tiny?

A: Because he's My Newt.

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
I got better.

 islander wrote: 
Oh we thought you was a toad.