Presidents

On July 5, 1967, the US Post Office issued a 5¢ stamp honoring the 50th anniversary of Lions International as well as a special contest hosted by the organization.

On June 30, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Land Grant. This made Yosemite Valley the first piece of land set aside by the US government for preservation and public use.

On June 29, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt established Mesa Verde National Park, the first American park created to “preserve the works of man.”  It’s since been called “the best cultural attraction” in the Western United States.

George Herbert Walker Bush was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts. As America’s 41st president, he led the US through conflicts in Panama and Iraq, helped bring about the end of the Soviet Union, and negotiated treaties to reduce the number of global nuclear weapons. At home, Bush fought against rising drug use and cracked down on the drug trade.

On June 2, 1886, President Grover Cleveland married Frances Folsom in the White House, making him the only US president to be married in the executive mansion.

On May 24, 1861, Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, a close friend of President Abraham Lincoln, became the first Union officer to die in the Civil War. “Remember Ellsworth” soon became a popular rallying cry for the Union.

On May 7, 1833, future President Abraham Lincoln took a job as postmaster for New Salem, Illinois.  Holding that position for three years, he was well-liked and respected for his commitment to his postal customers.

On May 5, 1864, Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee clashed for the first time at the Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia.  It was the opening battle of Grant’s Overland Campaign, which was designed to destroy Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.

On May 1, 1963, the US observed its first Senior Citizens Months, later renamed Older Americans Month. Since its inception, it has been a time to raise awareness of issues facing older Americans as well as honor their contributions to our nation.