This Day In History

On February 28, 1797, Mary Lyon was born in Buckland, Massachusetts. From a modest New England farm, she would go on to found one of the first institutions in the United States devoted to the higher education of women.

Acclaimed author John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California. From that small farming town would come a writer whose novels captured the struggles of migrant workers, ranch hands, and families uprooted by the Great Depression.

Soldier and showman William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody, was born on February 26, 1846, in LeClaire, Iowa. “Buffalo Bill” was one of the most famous figures of the Old West, gaining increased prominence and popularity for his Wild West shows.

On February 25, 1928, Bryce Canyon officially became Bryce Canyon National Park, securing permanent federal protection for one of America’s most unusual landscapes. What began as a remote stretch of pink cliffs and strange rock spires in southern Utah had become important enough to earn the highest level of preservation in the National Park System.

On January 9, 1788, Connecticut ratified the US Constitution, making it the fifth state to join the young United States.

On December 28, 1846, Iowa was admitted to the Union as America’s 29th state. Known today for its rolling farmland and strong agricultural traditions, Iowa’s path to statehood was shaped by Native American history, European exploration, westward expansion, and economic change. Over time, the region transformed from Indigenous homeland to frontier territory and finally into a modern state with a diverse economy.

On December 7, 1787, Delaware was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, making it America’s first state. But its quick decision wasn’t just a race to the finish—it marked the beginning of a new national identity, driven by bold choices, fierce debates, and a vote that helped shape the country we know today.

On December 3, 1818, President James Monroe signed the legislation that admitted Illinois as the 21st state in the Union. But the history of Illinois stretches far back before statehood. Long before European explorers arrived, the region was home to complex American Indian cultures whose achievements, alliances, and struggles helped shape the land that would become Illinois.

On March 1, 1803, Ohio was admitted as the 17th state of the Union. Named for the Ohio River, the word Ohio comes from the Seneca people, meaning “great river.”

On March 1, 1961, the Peace Corps was established by President John F. Kennedy. The corps consists of young volunteers who help people of other nations improve their quality of life and take charge of their own futures.

March 1, 1870, is the earliest known use of one of the Bank Note stamps, a long-running series of stamps produced by three different bank note companies. These stamps have interesting differences thanks to secret marks, grills, paper varieties, fancy cancels, and more!

Ralph Waldo Ellison was born on March 1, 1913, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A self-proclaimed Renaissance Man, Ellison was a talented musician and writer, most famous for his novel, Invisible Man.