September 30 is National Chewing Gum Day. Besides exercise for the jaw, the history of gum chewing is flavorful! Scientists have found a wad of birch resin with tooth imprints that was chewed in Finland from 9,000 years ago. Why did they chew it? Maybe for the same reason we do: enjoyment. Maybe they also like the fresh breath… read more >>
On September 16, 1620, 102 passengers set sail from Plymouth England. Many boarded the ship in the hope of finding a new land where they could practice their religion freely away from the persecution of King James in England. Some were more interested in the North American trade market and better living opportunities. The living conditions on the Mayflower ship were horrid. They were ill-prepared and did not… read more >>
***Content warning: this blog contains information about acts of terrorism and may not be suitable for all audiences.*** September 11, 2001 is a day that will not, and should not, ever be forgotten. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum best summarizes what happened on that fateful day: “On September 11, 2001, nineteen terrorists associated… read more >>
The First 100 years: Something to Crow About! 1846 was a year of firsts in Ohio. It was the year that the General Assembly of Ohio created Mahoning County. It was also the first year of the Canfield Fair, originally known as the Mahoning County Agricultural Society. The fair was held on October 5th and… read more >>
“We shall return again and again to Washington in ever growing numbers until total freedom is ours. We shall settle for nothing else.” A. Philip Randolph, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963 The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was not the first march proposed by organizer A. Philip Randolph, union president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. He called… read more >>
Who doesn’t love a classic, golden waffle covered in maple syrup or piled with fruit and whipped cream? Today we celebrate this sweet breakfast and the anniversary of the first patented waffle iron. It was on August 24, 1869 that Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York received his official waffle iron patent. Swarthout’s waffle iron… read more >>
Happy 161st birthday, Annie Oakley, legendary markswoman and sharp-shooter! Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Moses August 13, 1860, in Darke County, Ohio on a small rented farm. She grew up in a quiet Quaker family and would grow up to became a famous entertainer. Her father died six years later of pneumonia leaving his… read more >>
The town of Gettysburg, located in southeastern Pennsylvania, was thrust into history when the Civil War literally came to its door steps. In the scorching heat of July 1 through July 3, 1863, Union and Confederate forces fought in what became the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Even though the war would drag on… read more >>
“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.” (General… read more >>
Throughout history, there have been significant events that stand out because they changed the course of history. The assassinations of Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. are just a few moments in history that changed how we live and think. During World War II, the day the Allied troops stormed the beaches of Nazi-controlled France, became the day that ultimately led to the end of World War II. June… read more >>