Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
March 8, 1946 A major milestone in aviation history took place when the Bell 47 became the world’s first helicopter certified for commercial use. This first-of-a-kind certificate was issued for the Bell 47 by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), forerunner to the present-day Federal Aviation Administration. The Bell 47 was a single-rotor, single-engine light helicopter manufactured... Continue Reading →
March 6, 1913 A large number of highway officials and supporters from all of the states showed up at the Raleigh Hotel in Washington, D.C., for the Second National Good Roads Federal-Aid Convention. This heavily attended conference was held under the auspices of the American Automobile Association (AAA). Laurens Enos, the president of AAA, opened the... Continue Reading →
February 27, 2002 A dedication ceremony was held for a pedestrian and bicycle bridge spanning Interstate 80 (I-80) in the city of Berkeley, California. “Jubilation as New Bridge Opens Car-Free Access,” announced a headline in the next day’s edition of the Oakland Tribune. This tied-arch concrete bridge, which is known as the I-80 Bicycle and... Continue Reading →
February 24, 1839 Civil engineer William Smith Otis of Philadelphia was issued U.S. patent number 1,089 for the steam shovel, which was classified in that patent as a “Crane-Excavator for Excavating and Removing Earth.” As designed by Otis, this large steam-powered machine -- when mounted on wheeled devices such as carriages or railroad cars --... Continue Reading →
February 20, 1792 President George Washington signed into law the Postal Service Act of 1792. This measure would have far-reaching implications not only for the new country’s mail-delivery services but also its transportation network. The Postal Service Act of 1792, in addition to merely giving the General Post Office a two-year extension (a law passed... Continue Reading →
February 17, 2012 A major public transit milestone for Cincinnati began with the start of construction on a new streetcar system, known as the Connector, in that major Ohio city. Those on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony for this system included Mark Mallory, mayor of Cincinnati from 2005 to 2013; and Ray LaHood, U.S. secretary... Continue Reading →
February 16, 1979 In the Great Lakes region, a lake freighter (also known as a laker) made her first voyage. This was the first voyage of that type of vessel in mid-winter, and it took place on the mostly ice-covered waters of both Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. This lake freighter was constructed by Bay... Continue Reading →
January 30, 2009 The Santo Domingo Metro, a rapid transit system operating in the metropolitan area of the capital of the Dominican Republic, was officially opened for commercial service for the public. (Along being capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo is that country’s largest city; in addition, the metropolitan area bearing this city’s name... Continue Reading →
January 26, 1962 The George Mason Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C., made its debut in the midst of rainy weather. Washington Post reporter Paul Schuette noted that this newest structure to cross the Potomac River and connect the nation’s capital with Arlington, Virginia, “was dedicated under umbrellas” on that Friday afternoon. Schuette also stated, “More... Continue Reading →
January 23, 1912 Regular service began on the Overseas Railroad, a 156-mile (251.1-kilometer)-long extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to Key West (located beyond the end of the Florida peninsula). This service was launched the day after Henry Flagler, a founder of Standard Oil and the developer of Florida East Coast Railway (FEC), arrived in... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 