This Day In History

Today, July 24th

Recent stories…

#C70 - 1967 8c Alaska Purchase
July 23, 1867

US Opens First Post Office in Alaska

On July 23, 1867, the United States opened its first post office in Alaska— months before the US formally took possession of the territory.  While Alaska’s official transfer was still being prepared, the US was already laying down its presence—and the post office was a powerful symbol of that.

Read Article
#3221 - 1998 32c Literary Arts: Stephen Vincent Benet
July 22, 1898

Birth of Stephen Vincent Benét

Stephen Vincent Benét was born on July 22, 1898, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, he’s best known for his historically inspired poems, short stories, and novels.

Read Article
#2869o - 1994 29c Legends of the West: Wild Bill Hickock
July 21st, 1865

Wild Bill Hickok Wins the First Western Showdown 

Standing in the dusty town square of Springfield, Missouri, on July 21, 1865, Wild Bill Hickok fired a single shot, killing Davis Tutt in what’s considered America’s first Western showdown.

Read Article
#3191i - 2000 33c Celebrate the Century - 1990s: Special Olympics
July 20, 1968

First International Special Olympics

On July 20, 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver held the first International Special Olympic Games in Chicago, Illinois.

Read Article

More International History stories…

#C70 - 1967 8c Alaska Purchase
July 23, 1867

US Opens First Post Office in Alaska

On July 23, 1867, the United States opened its first post office in Alaska— months before the US formally took possession of the territory.  While Alaska’s official transfer was still being prepared, the US was already laying down its presence—and the post office was a powerful symbol of that.

Read Article
#MFN266 - 2017 $5.50 100 Years of Remembrance: Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, Mint Sheet of 4, Antigua
July 8, 1838

Birth of Ferdinand von Zeppelin 

Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was born on July 8, 1838, in Konstanz, Grand Duchy of Baden (now part of Germany). He developed the airships that bear his name and would later travel the world.

Read Article
1998 $3.20 Space Shuttle Landing, Priority Mail
June 29, 1995

First US Space Shuttle Docking to Mir 

On June 29, 1995, the US Space Shuttle Atlantis docked the Russian space station Mir for the first time. The mission, STS-71, was the third in the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir program. It began on June 27, 1995, when the Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was the 100th US human space launch from Cape Canaveral.

Read Article
1917 Bosnia & Herzegovina
June 28, 1914

Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

On June 28, 1914, Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a Bosnia Serb nationalist, sparking World War I.

Read Article

More stories from July 24th…

1947 3¢ Utah Centennial
July 24, 1847

Brigham Young Establishes Mormon Homeland in Salt Lake City, Utah

After 17 months of travel searching for a new home for his persecuted people, Brigham Young found Utah’s Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847 and proclaimed, “This is the place.”

Read Article
C68 - 1963 8c Amelia Earhart
July 24, 1897

Happy Birthday, Amelia Earhart! 

Aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas. Earhart advanced the role of women in aviation during the early days of flight.  She was the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean solo (and the first person to do it twice), receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, and fly nonstop coast-to-coast across the US.

Read Article
#1000 - 1951 3c Landing of Cadillac at Detroit
July 24, 1701

Founding of Detroit 

On July 24, 1701, French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac established a fort on the site of what would become the city of Detroit.

Read Article
# 1111 - 1958 8¢ Simon Bolivar
July 24, 1783

Birth of Simón Bolívar 

Military and political leader Simón Bolívar was born on July 24, 1783, in Caracas, New Granada (present-day Venezuela).  He led a campaign that freed Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia from Spanish rule, earning him the nickname El Libertador (The Liberator).  His birthday is also a national holiday in Venezuela. 

Read Article

Love history?

Discover events in American history – plus the stamps that make them come alive.

Subscribe to get This Day in History stories straight to your inbox every day!