Largest Land Run in Oklahoma
On September 16, 1893, some 100,000 people raced to claim 6 million acres of land in former Indian Territory in Oklahoma. It was the largest land run into Oklahoma and resulted in the establishment of 40,000 homesteads.
Exploration
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James Cook Establishes New South Wales
On August 21, 1770, James Cook landed on the eastern coast of Australia and named the land New South Wales.
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U.S. Lands First Men On The Moon
On July 20, 1969, the US effectively won the Space Race when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Eagle lunar module on the Moon’s surface.
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Folk Heroes Stamps
On July 11, 1996, the USPS issued four stamps honoring larger-than-life American Folk Heroes. The colorful set celebrated a mighty baseball slugger, a giant lumberjack, a legendary steel driver, and the wildest cowboy in the West.
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Juan Cabrillo Embarks on Journey
On June 27, 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo departed New Spain (present-day Mexico) in search of a water route between the Atlantic and Pacific. He’s considered to be the first European to travel the California coast and many spots in that state are named in his honor.
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Kentucky Becomes 15th State
On June 1, 1792, Kentucky became America’s 15th state and the first state west of the Appalachian Mountains. Its admission marked a new stage in the nation’s growth, as settlers pushed through mountain passes into a region long valued for its rivers, forests, wildlife, and rich farmland.
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Birth of Albert Gallatin
Politician and diplomat Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was born on January 29, 1761, in Geneva, Switzerland. His journey from European aristocrat to one of the most influential financial minds in US history is a story of ambition, intellect, and public service.
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First Americans Sight Antarctica
On November 17, 1820, American sealer Nathaniel Brown Palmer and his small crew made history when they became the first Americans to see the icy continent of Antarctica. Their sighting marked an important moment in early American exploration and opened a new chapter in the world’s understanding of the far southern regions of the globe.
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Birth of Vilhjalmur Stefansson
On November 3, 1879, Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson was born in Manitoba, Canada. Over the course of his life, he became one of the most influential and controversial figures in Arctic exploration—celebrated for his discoveries and criticized for the tragic misfortunes that accompanied some of his expeditions.
