Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
October 30, 1905 In Australia, a newly built electric tram system first went into service in the town (present-day city) of Fremantle in the state of Western Australia. This system, which was owned and operated by the Fremantle Municipal Tramways, was the first-ever public transportation network in that town. In an even broader context, the... Continue Reading →
October 29, 1932 The ocean liner SS Normandie was launched into the River Loire at Saint-Nazaire, France. At least 40,000 people – including French President Albert Lebrun and his wife Marguerite – were on hand for the event. Madame Lebrun was selected to christen the ship, and she performed the duty with the world’s largest bottle of champagne. As... Continue Reading →
Between 1920 and 1923, the Illinois Division of Highways (IDH) --now part of the Illinois Department of Transportation -- oversaw a series of tests to help determine the best type of pavement to use on that state’s roads. IDH launched these tests at a time when it was preparing for major construction projects to accommodate... Continue Reading →
October 27, 1948 In southwestern Michigan’s city of St. Joseph, the Blossomland Bridge was dedicated in a series of evening ceremonies. This drawbridge was built to carry U.S. Route 31 (US 31) across the St. Joseph River (That segment of US 31 is now part of Michigan Highway 63.) There had been a longtime need... Continue Reading →
October 26, 1959 The Valiant, an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation, made its public debut at the 44th International Motor Show in London, England. The new vehicle – measuring 15 feet and four inches (4.7 meters) in length, four-and-a-half feet (1.4 meters) in height, and nearly six feet (1.8 meters) in... Continue Reading →
October 23, 1914 In a late-afternoon ceremony near the city of Eureka in northwestern California, the last 200 feet (61 meters) of track of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad (NWP) was officially dedicated. This celebration specifically occurred at Chain Rock Bridge. The completion of the PWP occurred just about seven years after that line was created by the... Continue Reading →
October 22, 1730 Construction on the original Ladoga Canal, located in the part of northwestern Russia now known as Leningrad Oblast, was completed. The purpose of this transportation route was to link the Neva and Volkhov Rivers and also to allow vessels to bypass the often stormy waters of nearby Lake Ladoga, which was prone to... Continue Reading →
On November 15, 1958, a dedication ceremony was held for a 1.8-mile (2.9-kilometer) portion of Interstate 65 (I-65) in the south-central region of Tennessee. This segment of I-65 was the first part of the Interstate Highway System in Tennessee to be completed. The Tennessee State Department of Highways and Public Works (the predecessor of the... Continue Reading →
October 20, 2020 In the Republic of Indonesia, a recently completed international airport was formally opened in the village of Tanak Awu on the island of Lombok (part of the province of West Nusa Tenngara). This facility replaced Selaparang Airport, which is located in the town of Ampenan and had been closed three weeks earlier,... Continue Reading →
October 19, 1874 The first airborne wedding that is verifiable took place above the vicinity of Cincinnati, Ohio, in what one newspaper account characterized as “a matrimonial sensation.” Mary Elizabeth Walsh and Charles Samuel Colton exchanged vows in a hot-air balloon named “P.T. Barnum.” (Both the bride and groom worked for the legendary showman’s traveling circus.) ... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 