Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
December 30, 1880 The Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge in the Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island was formally dedicated. By that time, the bridge – situated 141 feet (43 meters) above the Kawarau River -- had already been in use for a month. This bridge was named for the river gorge where it is... Continue Reading →
December 29, 2009 A new terminal officially began operations at Carrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport in Uruguay’s capital city of Montevideo. This airport, which is the largest in Uruguay, was opened in 1947. It is located in the Montevideo barrio (neighborhood) of Carrasco. The airport also bears the name of one of Uruguay’s leading... Continue Reading →
December 28, 1975 After nearly 96 years of being maintained and operated by resident keepers, a lighthouse off the coast of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) became officially unmanned. This lighthouse is located on South Solitary Island, which is about 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) northeast of the city of Coffs Harbour on... Continue Reading →
December 27, 1773 George Cayley, an engineer and one of the key figures in aviation history, was born in the seaside town of Scarborough in England. He painstakingly observed and took notes on birds and how they were able to fly, and created the first successful glider able to carry humans. Cayley, first and foremost, helped... Continue Reading →
December 23, 1903 Armand Blanchonnet, who would establish himself as a formidable amateur cyclist, was born in the commune of Gipcy in central France. The apex of his cycling career took place during the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. During those games, Blanchonnet earned the gold medal in the individual component of a men’s road... Continue Reading →
December 22, 1937 The Lincoln Tunnel, which serves as a link between Weehawken, New Jersey, and New York City’s Midtown Manhattan, was officially opened to traffic with the debut of its first tube. “Engineering Marvel Dedicated,” proclaimed a headline in the Pennsylvania-based Indiana Evening Gazette. This structure and the Holland Tunnel (in operation since 1927)... Continue Reading →
December 21, 1829 The first stone arch railroad bridge in the United States was dedicated in Baltimore, Maryland. The Carrollton Viaduct, spanning over Gwynn’s Falls stream in the southwestern part of the city, was constructed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. James Lloyd designed this bridge, and Caspar Weaver oversaw its construction. During the nine months... Continue Reading →
December 20, 1967 The Laviolette Bridge was officially opened in the Canadian province of Quebec. This arch bridge, which spans the Saint Lawrence River, carries two lanes of vehicular traffic in each direction via the major highway Autoroute 55. The Laviolette Bridge links the city of Trois-Rivières on the north shore of the river with... Continue Reading →
December 17, 1983 In northern Virginia, multiple celebrations marked the opening of an extension of the Yellow Line of the Washington Metro rapid transit system. The debut of this extension, covering 4.2 miles (6.8 kilometers) between National Airport (now officially called Ronald Regan Washington National Airport) and the community of Huntington in Virginia’s Fairfax County,... Continue Reading →
December 16, 1944 The transport ship USS Queens (APA-103), which had been named after one of New York City’s five boroughs, was commissioned for service in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Captain John J. Mockrish of the U.S. Navy Reserve became the first commanding officer of this vessel. After a period of testing... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 