This Day In History

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. 

On July 23, 1904, according to one popular account, an ice cream seller at the St. Louis World’s Fair found a tasty solution to serving ice cream without a dish. The familiar cone was not truly invented there, but the enormous fair helped turn it into a popular American treat.

On July 22, 1933, Wiley Post completed the first solo flight around the world, returning to New York after nearly eight days in the air and at remote stops. He also broke his own speed record while testing navigation equipment that pointed toward the future of long-distance aviation.

On July 21, 1861, Confederate forces won the First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the Battle of First Manassas. It was the first major land battle of the Civil War and the grisly fighting led both sides to realize that the war wouldn’t be won quickly. 

On June 3, 1942, Japanese forces kicked of the 14-month Aleutian Islands Campaign. The campaign’s two Japanese invasions were the only ones on US soil during the war.

On May 23, 1918, Katherine Stinson became the first woman hired by the post office to deliver airmail in the US. She had several other notable firsts and records in her short flying career.

On May 20, 1932, Amelia Earhart completed the first solo flight across the Atlantic by a female, five years to day after Charles Lindbergh first made the same trip.

On May 2, 1952, the world’s first commercial jet airliner, the de Havilland Comet 1, began its maiden airline service from London to Johannesburg. The flight opened a new chapter in passenger travel, showing that jet power could move paying customers faster and higher than piston-engine airliners. Commercial aviation entered the jet age.

Ulysses S. Grant became a household name and was considered a hero following his leadership during the Civil War. In recognition of this, Congress created an entirely new rank for him on July 25, 1866 – the four-star General of the Army of the United States.

Bernardo Vicente de Gálvez y Madrid, Viscount of Galveston and Count of Gálvez, was born on July 25, 1746, in Macharaviaya, Málaga, Spain. A hero of the Revolutionary War, he later served as Spanish Governor of Louisiana and Viceroy of New Spain.

Artist Thomas Cowperthwait Eakins was born on July 25, 1844, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Known for his realistic paintings, Eakins is often considered one of the greatest painters of his time.

On July 25, 1992, the opening ceremonies marked the start of the Games of the XXV Olympiad in Barcelona, Spain. These games included many firsts, lasts, and records…