Engineer and inventor Robert Fulton was born on November 14, 1765, in Little Britain, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He’s best known for developing the first commercially viable steamboat, though he also patented several other inventions during his lifetime.
On October 24, 1861, Western Union joined the eastern and western lines in Salt Lake City, Utah, completing the Transcontinental Telegraph. Soon, intricately engraved stamps were produced for the different telegraph companies to show that messages had been paid for.
On October 22, 1992, the USPS issued its first stamps that incorporated microprinting in the design. These were also the first stamps to have microprinted text. Today, most US stamps include microprinting as a security feature.
On October 20, 1960, America’s first automated post office opened in Providence, Rhode Island. Issued that same day, this stamp was so popular it inspired the Post Office to continue producing stamps with postal themes.
Dwight Eisenhower was born October 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas. After serving as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in WWII, he was elected America’s 34th president.
On October 3, 1985, the Space Shuttle Atlantis made its maiden flight. Atlantis remained in service for 26 years, flying 33 missions, including the final space shuttle mission in 2011.
On September 23, 1911, Earle Ovington made America’s first airmail delivery between Garden City and Mineola, New York. Staged as part of the International Aviation Meet, he flew more than 43,000 letters over the course of a week.
Lee de Forest was born on August 26, 1873, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. His inventions made long-distance telephone service, radio broadcasting, television, and many other technologies possible, making him one of the founders of the “electronic age.”
On August 12, 1960, Echo I, the world’s first passive communications satellite, was placed in orbit around the Earth. The goal was to send radio signals into space from one location, bounce them off the satellite, and receive them at another location.