On September 23, 1911, Earle Ovington made America’s first airmail delivery between Garden City and Mineola, New York. Staged as part of the International Aviation Meet, he flew more than 43,000 letters over the course of a week.
Lee de Forest was born on August 26, 1873, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. His inventions made long-distance telephone service, radio broadcasting, television, and many other technologies possible, making him one of the founders of the “electronic age.”
On August 12, 1960, Echo I, the world’s first passive communications satellite, was placed in orbit around the Earth. The goal was to send radio signals into space from one location, bounce them off the satellite, and receive them at another location.
On August 8, 1929, the Graf Zeppelin departed the airfield in Lakehurst, New Jersey, to return 21 days later. The popularity of this trip created “Zeppelin Mania” and inspired several later flights.
On August 5, 1914, the first electric traffic light was installed in Cleveland, Ohio. It was considered revolutionary at the time, and was soon followed by similar systems in cities around the country.
On July 27, 1909, Orville Wright flew a plane a record one hour and 12 minutes. Nearly six years after their first historic powered airplane flight, the Wright brothers put their flight technology to the test, playing a major role in getting America’s Army airborne.
Sculptor Alexander Calder was born on July 22, 1898, in Lawnton, Pennsylvania. He was best known for his moving art “mobiles” stationary sculpture “stabiles” as well as monumental-sized public works.
On June 23, 1961, the Antarctic Treaty went into effect. Originally signed by 12 nations, it called for the peaceful use of the Antarctic Territory surrounding the South Pole.
On June 20, 2018, the USPS issued America’s first scratch-and-sniff stamps. Before they were issued, the stamps faced criticism from the American Lung Association…