Feb 23, 1861: Abraham Lincoln arrives safely in Washington DC after escaping an assassination plot, known today as ‘the Baltimore Plot.’ Lincoln was guarded by Allan Pinkerton, founder of the now-famous Pinkerton Detective Agency. Pinkerton and his agents, namely Kate Warne, supposedly found evidence of a plot to ambush Lincoln’s train in Baltimore supposedly headed by hairdresser Cipriano Ferrandini. Since rail travel wasn’t allowed after a certain time of night in the city, Lincoln would have to leave the train for protection. A friend of Lincoln’s offered him a Bowie knife and revolver for protection, but Pinkterton famously said that he "would not for the world have it said that Mr. Lincoln had to enter the National Capital Armed." Times and scheduling were changed, and the train moved quickly through Baltimore in the middle of the night. The extra measures were not great for Lincoln’s image, and he was lampooned from all sides for slipping through in the dead of night. The most famous image was a political cartoon showing him peering out the back of a cattle car, dressed in a night shirt.
Feb 24, 1942: The battle of Los Angeles. Unidentified Flying Objects are seen over Los Angles, prompting a blackout of Los Angeles and a barrage of anti-aircraft fire. Three buildings were damaged, three civilians killed, and three others died of heart attacks attributed to stress. No one knows exactly what the objects were that supposedly moved from Santa Monica to Long Beach. Suggestions of errant weather balloons, Japanese blimps, spy planes, or a groups of mysterious ‘foo fighters.’
Feb 25, 1836: Samuel Colt is awarded a patent for his revolver. He would go on to start a company that still produces military and civilian model firearms. His early revolvers were nicknamed ‘The Great Equalizer,’ as their easy-loading design made it possible for anyone to load and fire a gun, as opposed to earlier firearms, which required significant skill and dexterity to load.
Feb 26, 1829: Levi Strauss is born in Buttenheim, Bavaria as Löb Strauß. The industrialist immigrated to America, where he founded Levi Strauss & Company, the first company to produce blue jeans. The company became famous for its overalls, which were made using copper rivets to strengthen the pockets. The modern ‘jeans’ that we know weren’t released until the 1920’s.
Feb 27, 1902: Happy Birthday, John Steinbeck. Born in 1902 in Salinas, CA, he is best known as the author of classics such as ‘Of Mice and Men,’ ‘Grapes of Wrath,’ and ‘Cannery Row.’ He was also a war correspondent, Pulitzer Prize winner, and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962.
Feb 28, 1939: In one of the most famous lexicographical errors ever, an editor discovers an odd word in the new edition of the Webster’s dictionary. “Dord: n. Physics and Chem. Density,” it read. The word did not, nor ever had existed. A Chemistry editor for the dictionary sent in a slip reading “D or d, cont. Density,” intending to mean that “d” could abbreviate density. The error was promptly removed.
March 1, 1932: Little Charles Augustus Lindbergh, son of Charles Lindbergh was taken from his crib sometime between 7 and 10 pm. Authorities were quickly contacted, who decided it was a mob crime. Notable organized crime figures, including Al Capone, offered to help in exchange for legal favors. The case would go on to indict and convict Bruno Hauptmann of the crime, not long after the infant’s body was discovered in the woods. He was executed for the crime, though numerous books have been written asserting his innocence. There is still a man who claims to be the Lindbergh baby.
Feb 23, 1861: Abraham Lincoln arrives safely in Washington DC after escaping an assassination plot, known today as ‘the Baltimore Plot.’ Lincoln was guarded by Allan Pinkerton, founder of the now-famous Pinkerton Detective Agency. Pinkerton and his agents, namely Kate Warne, supposedly found evidence of a plot to ambush Lincoln’s train in Baltimore supposedly headed by hairdresser Cipriano Ferrandini. Since rail travel wasn’t allowed after a certain time of night in the city, Lincoln would have to leave the train for protection. A friend of Lincoln’s offered him a Bowie knife and revolver for protection, but Pinkterton famously said that he "would not for the world have it said that Mr. Lincoln had to enter the National Capital Armed." Times and scheduling were changed, and the train moved quickly through Baltimore in the middle of the night. The extra measures were not great for Lincoln’s image, and he was lampooned from all sides for slipping through in the dead of night. The most famous image was a political cartoon showing him peering out the back of a cattle car, dressed in a night shirt.
Feb 24, 1942: The battle of Los Angeles. Unidentified Flying Objects are seen over Los Angles, prompting a blackout of Los Angeles and a barrage of anti-aircraft fire. Three buildings were damaged, three civilians killed, and three others died of heart attacks attributed to stress. No one knows exactly what the objects were that supposedly moved from Santa Monica to Long Beach. Suggestions of errant weather balloons, Japanese blimps, spy planes, or a groups of mysterious ‘foo fighters.’
Feb 25, 1836: Samuel Colt is awarded a patent for his revolver. He would go on to start a company that still produces military and civilian model firearms. His early revolvers were nicknamed ‘The Great Equalizer,’ as their easy-loading design made it possible for anyone to load and fire a gun, as opposed to earlier firearms, which required significant skill and dexterity to load.
Feb 26, 1829: Levi Strauss is born in Buttenheim, Bavaria as Löb Strauß. The industrialist immigrated to America, where he founded Levi Strauss & Company, the first company to produce blue jeans. The company became famous for its overalls, which were made using copper rivets to strengthen the pockets. The modern ‘jeans’ that we know weren’t released until the 1920’s.
Feb 27, 1902: Happy Birthday, John Steinbeck. Born in 1902 in Salinas, CA, he is best known as the author of classics such as ‘Of Mice and Men,’ ‘Grapes of Wrath,’ and ‘Cannery Row.’ He was also a war correspondent, Pulitzer Prize winner, and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962.
Feb 28, 1939: In one of the most famous lexicographical errors ever, an editor discovers an odd word in the new edition of the Webster’s dictionary. “Dord: n. Physics and Chem. Density,” it read. The word did not, nor ever had existed. A Chemistry editor for the dictionary sent in a slip reading “D or d, cont. Density,” intending to mean that “d” could abbreviate density. The error was promptly removed.
March 1, 1932: Little Charles Augustus Lindbergh, son of Charles Lindbergh was taken from his crib sometime between 7 and 10 pm. Authorities were quickly contacted, who decided it was a mob crime. Notable organized crime figures, including Al Capone, offered to help in exchange for legal favors. The case would go on to indict and convict Bruno Hauptmann of the crime, not long after the infant’s body was discovered in the woods. He was executed for the crime, though numerous books have been written asserting his innocence. There is still a man who claims to be the Lindbergh baby.
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