First Kentucky Settlement
On June 16, 1774, James Harrod led 31 men in the founding of the first permanent settlement in Kentucky. Over time the settlement was named Fort Harrod, Harrodstown, and finally Harrodsburg, in his honor.
Exploration
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Birth of Lincoln Ellsworth
Polar explorer Lincoln Ellsworth was born on May 12, 1880, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the first person to fly over both polar regions, which earned him two Congressional Gold Medals. He’s one of just four people to have received two of the prestigious medals.
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Birth of Robert E. Peary
Explorer Robert Edwin Peary Sr. was born on May 6, 1856, in Cresson, Pennsylvania. Peary claimed to have been one of the first people to reach the North Pole. Though his claim has been debated, historians generally agree he at least came very close.
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Birth of Adolphus Greely
Explorer Adolphus Washington Greely was born on March 27, 1844, in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He served with the Union Army during the Civil War and later led a polar expedition. Greely was the second person in history to receive a Medal of Honor for “lifetime achievement.”
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The Coronado Expedition
On February 23, 1540, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado embarked on a large expedition through the American Southwest in search of the Seven Cities of Gold. Though he didn’t find the mythical cities, his was the first European expedition to see a number of sights in the area.
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Happy Birthday Vilhjalmur Stefansson
Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson was born on November 3, 1879, in Manitoba, Canada.
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Folk Heroes Stamps
On July 11, 1996, the USPS issued a set of four stamps honoring American Folk Heroes.
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Happy Birthday Thomas Moran
Artist Thomas Moran was born on February 12, 1837, in Bolton, Lancashire, England.
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Birth of Albert Gallatin
Politician and diplomat Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was born on January 29, 1761, in Geneva, Switzerland. Gallatin’s aristocratic family included physicians, statesmen, and soldiers – one of his relatives commanded a battalion at the Battle of Yorktown.
