Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
Fujio Matsuda was born in Honolulu on October 18, 1924. His parents Yoshio and Shimo had both emigrated to Hawaii from Japan. They taught Fujio, who would later be affectionately called “Fuj” -- a nickname ultimately modified to “Fudge” -- to embrace a wide range of traditional Japanese values that included gambare (to persevere), kansha... Continue Reading →
May 14, 1928 A total of 22 planes took to the skies on a Monday morning in Oklahoma City for the launch of a five-day air tour. This tour, which was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma, reflected the ever-growing popularity of aviation in the United States. The idea behind what the Associated... Continue Reading →
May 13, 2022 In the part of the Králický Snĕžník Mountains within the Czech Republic, a suspension footbridge in Dolní Morava -- a municipality along the country’s border with Poland -- was formally opened. This 2,365-foot (721-meter)-long structure is 312 feet (95 meters) off the ground. The footbridge spans the valley of the Mlýnský Stream... Continue Reading →
May 12, 1875 The first official fireboat of the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) was placed into service. This steam-powered, wooden-hull vessel was named the William Frederick Havemeyer in honor of a prominent local citizen who had been the city’s mayor three times and was also a volunteer fireman. The importance of... Continue Reading →
May 9, 2006 A newly built station of the Sáo Paulo Metro (popularly known as the Metrô), one of the rapid transit systems serving the capital of Brazil, was opened in the Chácara Klabin neighborhood of the city’s south-central area. Chácara Klabin station made its debut as part of Line 2 (Green) of the Metrô.... Continue Reading →
In December 2010, Shanti Sethi achieved a notable milestone when she became the first woman of Indian descent to command a major. U.S. Navy combat ship. This vessel was USS Decatur (DDG-73), and Sethi served as her commanding officer until May 2012. Sethi started out life in the city of Reno, Nevada. Her father... Continue Reading →
May 7, 1867 A railway station in the city of Naples in the Kingdom of Italy was inaugurated. (The Kingdom of Italy existed from 1861 to 1946; it was replaced by the present-day Republic of Italy.) Napoli Centrale (Naples Central Station) was designed by Enrico Alvino (1809-1872). This version of Napoli Centrale, which is... Continue Reading →
May 6, 1895 The third elevated rapid transit line in Chicago, and the first of those lines to be electrically operated, made its debut. The first train of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad -- also called the Metropolitan “L” -- left the Robey Street station at six o’clock that morning for the downtown terminal at... Continue Reading →
May 5, 1914 In Florida, the last official flight of the St. Petersburg-Tampa (SPT) Airboat Line took place. This line, which provided the world’s first scheduled commercial airline service using winged aircraft, had made its inaugural flight on January 1 of that year. SPT Airboat Line was operated by aviator and aircraft manufacturer Thomas W.... Continue Reading →
May 2, 1810 A groundbreaking ceremony was held in southeast Washington, D.C., for a new canal. Those attending this event included James Madison (1751-1836), who served as the fourth U.S. president from 1809 to 1817. The building of the Washington City Canal reflected the widespread enthusiasm during that era for waterways that would help facilitate... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 