On April 15, 1732, the first stone was laid for Boston’s Christ Church, more famously known as the Old North Church. It’s home to the oldest church bells in America. And it was made famous during Paul Revere’s midnight ride with the signal, “one if by land, two if by sea.”
On April 6, 1968, HemisFair ’68 opened in San Antonio, Texas. It was the first official international exposition held in the Southwestern US. The fair also honored the 250th anniversary of the founding of San Antonio.
On April 5, 1792, George Washington used the first presidential veto in our country’s history. It was to turn down a bill that he felt unconstitutionally gave some states more members in the House of Representatives than the Constitution would allow.
Dorothea Lynde Dix was born on April 4, 1802, in Hampden, Maine. She spent much of her life improving and establishing new mental asylums. Dix also served as the Superintendent of Army Nurses during the Civil War.
Author Mary Boykin Chesnut was born on March 31, 1823, near Stateburg, South Carolina. She kept a detailed diary of the Civil War from her perspective and the resulting book had been labeled a masterpiece and a work of art.
Painter and illustrator Maxfield Parrish died on March 30, 1966. He made a name for himself illustrating children’s books, murals, and magazine covers. His 1922 work Daybreak is considered the most popular art print of the 20th century.
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.”
On March 21, 1916, a group of mostly American pilots formed the Escadrille Américaine. Later named the Lafayette Escadrille, they flew several high-profile missions that encouraged more Americans to join their ranks.
The Jupiter, also known as Central Pacific Railroad #60, made its first run on March 20, 1869. Less than two months later, the Jupiter made history as one of the two locomotives that met at Promontory Summit, Utah to mark the completion of America’s First Transcontinental Railroad.