*Blogs / Pages Archives

WAY BACK WHEN for Friday, April 14, 2023 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded by John Wilkes Booth, while attending the comedy ”Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater in Washington.  Lincoln died the following morning. 1902, J.C. Penney opened his first store, in

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, April 13, 2023 1860 The Pony Express arrived in Sacramento, completing it first run in just 10 days. It departed from St. Joseph, Missouri on April 3. Until then, sending

WAY BACK WHEN for Tuesday, April 11, 2023 1947, Jackie Robinson signed his first contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, making him the First African American in Major League Baseball. He played in a few exhibition games against the Yankees, but his first official

WAY BACK WHEN for Monday, April 10, 2023 1849 A patent for the safety pin is issued to Walter Hunt. Various versions of safety pins date back to the ancient Romans; however, Hunt’s version included a spring

WAY BACK WHEN for Friday, April 7, 2023  1927 Herbert Eugene Ives of Bell Laboratories broadcast the first official TV picture from Washington D.C. to New York over telephone lines. 1933 Prohibition officially came to an end.

WAY BACK WHEN for Thursday, April 6, 2023 1909 American explorer Robert Peary claimed to have reached the North Pole. However, his claims were disputed by some historians and Frederick Cook who claimed to have reached it the

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., April 5, 2023 1792 George Washington did the first ever Presidential veto, vetoing an Apportionment Bill for the members of the House. 1892 The first newspaper ad for an Ice Cream

WAY BACK WHEN for Wednesday, May 4, 2023 “Star Wars Day!” – “May the 4th be with you!”  1626, a Dutch colonist named Peter Minuit landed on the island of Manhattan.  He eventually bought the island from the Indians for beads

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Tuesday, April 4, 2023 1818 “The Flag Act” was adopted by Congress. It specified a flag of 13 stripes, one for each of the original colonies, and 20 stars, one for

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, April 3 2023  1968 Martin Luther King, Jr. made his famous proclamation, “I have been to the mountain top.” This was Martin Luther King’s last speech, as he was assassinated the