George Washington Carver National Monument Established
On July 14, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt committed $30,000 toward a monument to botanist and inventor George Washington Carver.
This Day in History
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First of the Roanoke Voyages
On July 13, 1584, the first of three Roanoke voyages arrived in present-day North Carolina. These were attempts to establish the first permanent English settlement in North America. While the settlement saw the first English child born in America, all of the settlers disappeared and their fate is still unknown today.
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First Stamp with Pre-Announced First Day of Issue
On July 12, 1922, the US Post Office Department issued its first stamp with an announced first day of issue. Prior to this event, the Post Office Department didn’t usually designate specific dates for the issue of new stamps.
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William Howard Taft – Only Man to Serve as President and Chief Justice
William Howard Taft always dreamed of being a Supreme Court justice. After a term as president, the time was finally right for Taft to take his dream job – on July 11, 1921.
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Birth of Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was born on July 10, 1856, in Smiljan, Austrian Empire (present-day Croatia). A brilliant inventor, engineer, and physicist, his experiments and research changed the world.
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Siege of Port Hudson Ends
On July 9, 1863, Confederate forces surrendered Port Hudson, Louisiana, ending a 48-day siege. The longest siege in American history, the victory returned control of the Mississippi River to the Union.
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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.
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The US Annexes Hawaii
On July 7, 1898, President William McKinley signed legislation annexing Hawaii, paving the way for it to become a US state.
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Bicycle Mail
On July 6, 1894, a San Francisco businessman operated a short-lived bicycle mail route in San Francisco, complete with his own stamps.
