On April 28, 1948, Fort Sumter National Monument was established to preserve the site where the opening shots of the Civil War were fired. Twelve years later, nearby Fort Moultrie was added to the protected area. Together, they honor and preserve generations of American seacoast defense from the American Revolution to World War II.
On April 26, 1907, the Jamestown Exposition opened at Sewell’s Point in Norfolk, Virginia. It celebrated the 300th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in America.
On April 25, 1959, the St. Lawrence Seaway opened, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway was nearly as ambitious as the Panama Canal project.
On April 24, 1890, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs was founded. It’s one of the world’s oldest and largest women’s volunteer service organizations.
On April 22, 1889, the first land rush into the Unassigned Lands of Oklahoma kicked off at high noon. By evening, 50,000 families settled in Oklahoma and two cities were established with populations over 10,000 each.
On April 21, 1836, Texan soldiers led a swift attack on an unsuspecting Mexican force at the Battle of San Jacinto. It was the final, decisive battle of the Texas Revolution.
American musician and songwriter Tito Puente was born on April 20, 1923, in New York City, New York.
On April 18, 1923, the Yankees played their first game in “The House that Ruth Built.”
On April 17, 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano became the first European to see New York harbor.