Hanging of Patriot Nathan Hale
After being discovered as an American spy behind enemy lines, Nathan Hale was hanged on September 22, 1776. Just 21 years old at the time, he famously said, “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
This Day in History
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Duryea Brothers Test-Drive America’s First Gas-Powered Car
On September 21, 1893, the Duryea brothers successfully tested America’s first gasoline-powered car in Massachusetts. Before a crowd of spectators, they exhibited the capabilities of unusual new vehicle.
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Spay or Neuter Stamps
On September 20, 2002, the USPS issued the Spay or Neuter stamps in Denver, Colorado. The stamps had been the result of an extensive decade-long letter writing campaign.
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Jamestown Burns During Bacon’s Rebellion
On September 19, 1676, Nathaniel Bacon led an irate group of followers into Jamestown and burned nearly all the buildings to the ground. Bacon’s rebellion and the burning of Jamestown are considered precursors to the American Revolution.
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U.S. Air Force Established
After 40 years and two wars, the aeronautical division of the US military was established as its own branch, the Air Force, on September 18, 1947. Today, it’s the world’s largest air force.
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Happy Birthday Hank Williams
Hiram King “Hank” Williams was born on September 17, 1923, In Butler County, Alabama. “The King of Country Music,” he wrote hundreds of hits and helped establish the rockabilly style.
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Metropolitan Opera House Opens
On September 16, 1966, the Metropolitan Opera House opened at New York’s Lincoln Center, the largest repertory opera house in the world.
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Birth of William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was born September 15, 1857, near Cincinnati, Ohio. To date, he’s the the only person to serve as both US president and chief justice of the Supreme Court.
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America’s First Journalism School
On September 14, 1908, the University of Missouri School of Journalism became the first such school in the US, and only the second in the world. The school adopted a hands-on approach, known as the “Missouri Method.”
