This day in history - July 4

[CrimsonSoul]

Decleration of Independence was signed, that is all (or is it!)

[seamusTX]

What else happened? Many coincidences, most intentional.

1636 - The City of Providence, Rhode Island, was founded by Roger Williams, who had been exiled from Massachusetts for religious differences.

1802 - The U.S. Military Academy at West Point opened.

1817 - Construction of the Erie Canal began.

1826 - John Adams died at age 90 in Braintree, Massachusetts. Thomas Jefferson died at 83 at Monticello.

I've always considered this one of the spookiest documented coincidences in history.

1827 - Slavery was abolished in New York.

1828 - Construction of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the first passenger line in the U.S., began.

1831 - James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, died at age 73 in New York City.

1845 – The Texas Constitutional Convention voted for annexation to the United States.

This process was legally and politically complicated. Many milestone dates are associated with it.

Same day - Henry David Thoreau began living in a shack on Walden Pond.

1863 - Boise, Idaho, was founded.

A gold rush had started in the area a year earier, now nearly forgotten history.

1881 - The Tuskegee Institute opened with Booker T. Washington as its head.

1883 - Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show opened for the first time, in North Platte, Nebraska.

1884 - The newly completed Statue of Liberty was presented to the U.S. in Paris (8 years behind schedule).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty#History" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

1903 - A telegraph cable connecting San Francisco, Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines went into operation.

This cable extended a communication network to the farthest territories of the United States, at a time when Marconi was barely getting started on radio.

1910 - Jack Johnson beat James Jeffries, the formerly undefeated heavyweight champion.

Johnson is probably the most famous native of Galveston ("Wrong Way" Corrigan being the other).

1939 - The Yankees held a farewell ceremony for Lou Gehrig at Yankee Stadium. The team retired his number (4), the first time that this honor was accorded to a baseball player.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Gehrig ... e_Earth.22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Gehrig would not see the second anniversary of this event.

1946 - The Philippines became independent after centuries of foreign occupation.

1959 - The 49th star was added to the American flag to represent the new state of Alaska.

1960 - The flag took its current form when the 50th star was added for Hawaii.

1966 - President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act into law.

- Jim

[Oldgringo]

On this day in 1969, my youngest son Patrick was born. He would have been 40 today if he hadn't stepped in front of a car on his way home from school when he was 12.

I'll never forget you, 'Froggie'.

Dad

[Keith B]

Sorry for your loss Old Gringo. I have friends who lost children at a young age. I can only empathize. Even though it has been 28 years, I am sure it is still tough.

God bless and will add you guys to the prayers for the 4th.

[seamusTX]

What a terrible loss and a painful memory.

- Jim

[longtooth]

From me too my friend. Hurry back to Texas.

[joe817]

Words cannot express my sorrow, O.G. God bless Froggie