History: 1st U.S. Railroad Accident The first recorded railroad accident in US history occurred on July 25, 1832, on the Granite Railway in Quincy, Massachusetts. Four individuals invited to observe stone transport were thrown from a vacant car when a…
History: László Moholy-Nagy born in 1895 On this day in 1895, the Hungarian painter, photographer, and influential educator, László Moholy-Nagy, was born. In 1923, Walter Gropius invited Moholy-Nagy to teach at the Bauhaus in Weimar where he was soon placed…
History: "Degenerate Art" On this day in 1937, the infamous Degenerate Art (Entartete Kunst) exhibition opened in Munich, Germany. Organized by Adolf Ziegler and the Nazi Party, the exhibition presented some 650 paintings, sculptures and prints by over 100 (primarily)…
History: Lithography was invented in 1798 On this day in 1798, German author Alois Senefelder invented the lithographic printing method (from the Greek, "stone printing"). Looking for an inexpensive method for copying his manuscripts, Senefelder was experimenting with etching techniques…
Today is National Lottery Day If you’re feeling extra lucky on July 17th, it might be because it’s National Lottery Day! Celebrate the way lotteries contribute to local and state programs. Historically, lotteries date back to the 15th century. While…
History: Washington DC declared capital of the United States On this day in 1790, Congress selected a swampy, humid site on the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia as the nation’s permanent capital. Washington, in the newly designated District of…
History: First successful Matterhorn ascent in 1865 In 1865, the Matterhorn (4,478 m, 14,692 ft) was first successfully ascended by Edward Whymper and his team of mountaineers, Michel Croz, Lord Francis Douglas, Charles Hudson, Douglas Hadow, and the two Zermatt guides, Peter Taugwalder father and son…
Today is Bastille Day! Bastille Day is a national holiday in France, celebrated annually on July 14. It is quite similar to the Independence Day festivities in the United States. The Bastille was a stronghold built in Paris in the…
History: First World Cup in 1930 On this day in 1930, the first-ever World Cup football matches were played simultaneously in host city Montevideo, Uruguay. France defeated Mexico 4-1 while the United States defeated Belgium 3-0. 13 teams participated “by…
History: Rolling Stones' 1st performance On this day in 1962, the British rock band performed for the first time as a group at the Marquee Club in London. The Rolling Stones soon secured a residency at the Crawdaddy Club, bringing…