Exploration

Christopher Houston Carson was born December 24, 1809, in Richmond, Kentucky. Better known as Kit Carson, his contributions to the westward expansion of the United States rank him as one of the nation’s great folk heroes.

On November 29, 1777, the first non-military and non-missionary settlement in California was established as El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe in Alta, California.

Richard Evelyn Byrd was born on October 25, 1888, in Winchester, Virginia. Byrd led three Antarctic expeditions and was the US Navy’s youngest admiral at the time.

Explorer and soldier John C. Frémont died on July 13, 1890, in New York City. Nicknamed “The Pathfinder,” Frémont led several expeditions to the American West, served in the Civil War, and was a promising presidential candidate.

On June 10, 1967, the Gateway Arch opened in St. Louis, Missouri. A monument to America’s westward expansion, it’s the tallest arch in the world at 630 feet.

On May 14, 1607, America’s first permanent English settlement was established at Jamestown, Virginia. The settlers struggled for several years but eventually built Jamestown into a thriving and successful community.

On April 3, 1513, Juan Ponce de León landed on the Florida coast and claimed the area for Spain. He named it La Florida, or “Feast of Flowers,” a reference to the Easter celebration in Spain.

On February 11, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation establishing Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico.  The 33,677-acre park protects ancient pueblo structures and is home to a notable Civilian Conservation Corp district.

Late in the evening of January 31, 1958, the US launched its first satellite, Explorer I. It was an important milestone in America’s space race with the Soviet Union.