On This Day - July 29
Image source: The GrayVine
Ready to take a trip down memory lane? Let’s look back at some of the most significant moments in American history that happened on this day, starting with…
1773: The First Schoolhouse West of the Alleghenies Was Completed
Schoenbrunn, Ohio, became home to the earliest schoolhouse west of the Allegheny Mountains. Built by Moravian missionaries, it marked a significant milestone in the westward expansion of American education.
1786: The Pittsburgh Gazette Was First Published
The Pittsburgh Gazette, the first newspaper west of the Alleghenies, was published in Pennsylvania. It would go on to become a vital voice in frontier journalism and the precursor to today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
1794: The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas Was Dedicated
In Philadelphia, the first Black Episcopal church in the US was officially dedicated. Founded by Absalom Jones, it became a cornerstone for African American religious life and activism.
1862: Confederate Spy Belle Boyd Was Arrested
During the Civil War, famed Confederate spy Belle Boyd was captured by Union troops and imprisoned in Washington, D.C.’s Old Capitol Prison. Her dramatic espionage career had made her a controversial figure on both sides.
1905: The Taft–Katsura Agreement Was Secretly Reached
U.S. Secretary of War William Howard Taft and Japanese Prime Minister Katsura agreed to allow Japanese dominance in Korea in exchange for US control over the Philippines—an unpublicized yet influential moment in US–Asia relations.
1921: Adolf Hitler Took Control of the Nazi Party
Adolf Hitler became the leader of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party) in Germany. This marked a turning point that would have devastating consequences for the US and the world two decades later.
1958: NASA Was Established
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law, officially creating NASA. The move launched the US into the Space Age and set the stage for the moon landing just over a decade later.
Do you remember any of these events? Or do you have more events (historical or not!) you'd like to share with the community? Post them below and let's reminisce together!
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