Today in History–May 27–the Library of Congress features the Golden Gate Bridge, opened on this date in 1937. The orange suspension bridge was the longest at the time, spanning 4,200 feet and connecting San Francisco to the south with Marin County, California to the north. Lead engineer Joseph Baermann Strauss stressed safety during the bridge building, instituting the wearing…
Today in History–May 26–the Library of Congress features Montana, which first became a territory on this date in 1864 approximately four years after gold was discovered. Twenty-five years later, in 1889, Montana became the forty-first state. Numerous Native American tribes called Montana home and many still do. Learn more about big sky country by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the…
Today in History–May 19–the Library of Congress features the Union siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, begun on this day in 1863 under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant. By mid-June, nearly 80,000 Union troops had virtually sealed off the city. But it would take a few more weeks before Confederate forces surrendered on July 4. With the…
Today in History–May 15–the Library of Congress features San Francisco‘s second Committee of Vigilance organized on this day in 1856 to combat crime in the boomtown. Committee members were overwhelming Republicans and Democrat “crooks” were often the target of the vigilance. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access primary sources related to…
Today in History–May 13–the Library of Congress features the opening day of the Governors’ Conference on the Conservation of Natural Resources on this day in 1908. President Theodore Roosevelt delivered the stirring opening address but the conference was spearheaded by Chief Forester of the United States Gifford Pinchot. The conference helped put the spotlight on conservationism. Pinchot later went on to…
Today in History–May 12–the Library of Congress features politician and historian Henry Cabot Lodge, born on this day in 1850. Lodge was a long-standing member of Congress, serving the state of Massachusetts as a U.S. representative from 1887 to 1893 and a U.S. senator from 1893 to 1924. This Republican statesman is perhaps best known for his staunch argument against U.S….
Today in History–May 6–the Library of Congress features General James Longstreet. On this day in 1864, this officer of the Confederate Army was seriously wounded by his own troops during the second day of fighting at the Battle of the Wilderness near Fredericksburg, Virginia. A career military man who was educated at West Point, was second-in-command to General Robert E. Lee. The Confederate leader…
Today in History–May 5–the Library of Congress features Cinco de Mayo. On May 5, 1862, Mexican troops successfully defended the town of Puebla against French forces. In the spring of 1863, the city was recaptured by the French and a European was crowned Emperor of Mexico. Emperor Maximillian remained in power until 1867 when Napoleon III withdrew troops…
Today in History–April 28–the Library of Congress features musician Henry Reed, born on this date in 1884 in West Virginia. Reed was a master fiddler as well as banjo and harmonica player who learned most of the tunes he played by ear and had hundreds of songs committed to memory. He never played professionally but became well…
Today in History–April 21–the Library of Congress features southern politician Robert M.T. Hunter, born on this date in 1809. Hunter represented his home state of Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the youngest Speaker of the House, serving from 1839 to 1841. From 1847 to 1861 Hunter served in the U.S. Senate. During the…
Today in History–April 15–the Library of Congress features the Continental Congress ratification of the preliminary articles of peace with Great Britain on this date in 1783. Negotiations to conclude the Revolutionary War had begun a year earlier. “International intrigue and intense negotiation preceded the formulation of these preliminary articles.” The final, formal treaty was signed on September 3, 1783…
Today in History–April 14–the Library of Congress features the R.M.S. Titanic, which struck an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland on this date in 1912 and sank to the bottom of the sea just a few short hours later. Find out more about the tragic maiden voyage of the Titanic by reading the Today in History section, then clicking the links below…