Exploration

Explorer and soldier John C. Frémont died on July 13, 1890, in New York City. Nicknamed “The Pathfinder,” Frémont led several expeditions to the American West, served in the Civil War, and was a promising presidential candidate.

On June 10, 1967, the Gateway Arch opened in St. Louis, Missouri. A monument to America’s westward expansion, it’s the tallest arch in the world at 630 feet.

On May 14, 1607, America’s first permanent English settlement was established at Jamestown, Virginia. The settlers struggled for several years but eventually built Jamestown into a thriving and successful community.

On April 3, 1513, Juan Ponce de León landed on the Florida coast and claimed the area for Spain. He named it La Florida, or “Feast of Flowers,” a reference to the Easter celebration in Spain.

On February 11, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation establishing Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico.  The 33,677-acre park protects ancient pueblo structures and is home to a notable Civilian Conservation Corp district.

Late in the evening of January 31, 1958, the US launched its first satellite, Explorer I. It was an important milestone in America’s space race with the Soviet Union.

On January 24, 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, beginning the California Gold Rush. Thousands quickly flocked to the area in hopes of striking gold.

On November 14, 1889, Nellie Bly embarked on a trip around the globe, inspired by Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days.

British explorer and navigator Captain James Cook was born on November 7, 1728 (October 27 in the Old Style calendar), in Marton, Yorkshire, England.