Effigy Mounds National Monument
Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa was established on October 25, 1949. The monument protects and interprets the history behind about 200 mounds built by Native Americans centuries ago.
Nature and Conservation
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Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring
On September 27, 1962, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, a book that challenged Americans to consider what happened after pesticides were sprayed. Drawing on scientific studies, government records, and reports from affected communities, Carson argued that chemicals meant to kill insects could also disrupt entire ecosystems.
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The American Forestry Association
The American Forestry Association was founded on September 10, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois. It’s one of America’s oldest national conservation organizations, with a mission of “Creating Healthy and Resilient Forests, from Cities to Wilderness, that Deliver Essential Benefits for Climate, People, Water and Wildlife.”
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Largest and Most Complete T. Rex Skeleton Discovered
While searching for fossils in South Dakota, fossil hunter Sue Hendrickson made a colossal discovery on August 12, 1990. Bones protruding from an eroded bluff proved to be part of an exceptionally complete Tyrannosaurus rex, soon known simply as Sue.
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Smokey Bear Created to Join the War Effort
On August 9, 1944, the US Forest Service created Smokey Bear to encourage people to prevent forest fires. The Wildfire Prevention Campaign is the longest-running public service announcement campaign in US history, and Smokey has become an icon recognized around the globe.
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Olympic National Park
The Olympic Mountains are not especially tall. Mount Olympus, the park’s highest peak, rises 7,980 feet. But the range stands close to the Pacific Ocean, and that location shapes nearly everything in the park. Moist air from the ocean moves inland and is pushed upward by the mountains. As the air cools, it drops rain in the valleys and snow on the peaks.
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Birth of Daniel Carter Beard
Daniel “Uncle Dan” Beard was born on June 21, 1850, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His childhood adventures along the rivers and woods of Kentucky later helped shape the activities and ideals of the Boy Scouts of America.
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Butterfly Series
On May 17, 2010, the USPS issued the first stamp in the Butterfly Series. The stamps were created for use on envelopes that couldn’t be sorted on the USPS’s automated equipment, otherwise known as “nonmachinable.” They’re often used for greeting cards.
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National Orchid Day
On April 16, 2015, National Orchid Day was created to celebrate one of the most diverse and fascinating families of flowering plants. The date honors orchids not only for their beauty, but also for the personal story behind the day’s founding.
