Tuesday, December 13 — The important holiday business of viewing such classics as “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Story” on home TVs owes much to a technological advance this month 78 years ago. In December 1938, Russian-American engineer Vladimir […]
Monday, December 12 — Many Americans drive on their vacations, and if they don’t stay with relatives they often stay at one of the nation’s many motels. The term motel came to have meaning only when the automobile started to dominate […]
Sunday, December 11 — Throughout history, debt had been a criminal offense, with penalties ranging from enslavement to mutilation. In Colonial America, some debtors were branded or whipped in public, but most were thrown in jail — debt being the only […]
Saturday, December 10 — “Scarcely any political question arises in the United States that is not resolved, sooner or later, into a judicial question.” That was the observation of Alexis de Tocqueville in his famous 1835 book, “Democracy in America.” Lawyering came […]
Clarence Birdseye, who was born on this date in 1886, developed a system of flash-freezing meat, fish, and vegetables under high pressure.
On this date in 1850, Oberlin College awarded the nation’s first four-year degree to an African-American woman, Lucy Stanton.
In December 1896, New York state followed with the establishment of the certified public accountant. Certificate number one went to Frank Broaker.
This year marks the centennial of the invention of the tow truck.
After nearly 14 eventful years, Prohibition ended on this date in 1933, and Americans were able once again to legally consume alcoholic beverages.
The Park-O-Mat garage was completely automated, and held 72 cars in 18 levels of space just 25 by 40 feet.
Profile America — Wednesday, November 30. As American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month concludes, it’s worth noting that much of the U.S. population lives in states and towns with names derived from those originally given them by America’s first […]
Profile America — Tuesday, November 29. We still use the word “dial” to refer to the act of calling someone on the phone. This is a legacy, as a great many of us have never used a rotary phone or […]
Profile America — Monday, November 28. One of the comforts most Americans take for granted while driving was displayed for the first time this month in 1939 at the 40th Chicago Auto Show. The Packard Motor Car Company unveiled the […]
The first traffic signal with indicators for “stop”, “go” and most notably “caution” was patented this month in 1923.
Friday, November 25 — It’s a time to celebrate one of life’s simple, viscous pleasures — it’s Peanut Butter Lovers Month. The stuff of one of America’s favorite sandwiches, peanut butter was first offered to the public at the […]
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