On July 28, 1897, Alexander Winton began a nine-day test-drive of his automobile, proving its reliability to investors. Winton went on to become the top-selling automobile manufacturer for several years. He had more than 100 patents, and often allowed others to use them for free when safety was involved.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial was officially dedicated on July 27, 1995, the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War. This stamp was issued eight years later and led to a federal court case!
On July 26, 1788, New York ratified the US Constitution, becoming America’s 11th state. It has grown to be America’s fourth most populous state, with more than 20 million residents.
On July 25, 1909, Louis Blériot became the first person to fly an airplane across the English Channel. Flying a small monoplane from near Calais to Dover, the French aviator completed the dangerous journey in just 36 minutes and 30 seconds.
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.
Touring New England on August 22, 1902, Theodore Roosevelt became the first sitting president to publicly ride in an electric automobile accompanied by security. This was the first modern presidential motorcade.
On May 27, 1930, the Chrysler Building, the tallest man-made structure at the time, opened to the public.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) was founded on March 4, 1902, in Chicago, Illinois. Today, the AAA is the world’s largest travel organization, with more than 61 million members.
On December 1, 1913, Henry Ford introduced his moving assembly line, which revolutionized both his own business and the future of mass production around the world.
On July 28, 1935, Boeing’s Model 299, as it was called at the time, embarked on its first flight from a Seattle airfield. The plane would go on to be one of the most famous used during World War II.
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York. As first lady from 1961-63, she worked to restore the White House and historic landmarks, among other projects.
Connecticut senator and chairman of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy Brien McMahon died on July 28, 1952, in Washington, DC.
On July 28, 1984, the Summer Olympic Games opened in Los Angeles, California. They were the first games to be opened by a sitting US president, which was one of many highlights…
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