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Freeways: Life in the Fast Lane
On this date in 1940, California opened its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway. Here are some things you may not have known about freeways. Around the world, controlled-access highways are known by many names, including freeways, motorways, expressways, autobahn and autostrada. What they have in common is traffic flow unhindered by intersections, traffic signals…
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Graceland: At Home with Elvis
On June 7, 1982, Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, was opened to the public. Here are some things you may not know about the Memphis mansion. First, the home wasn’t built for Elvis. It was built in 1939 by Dr. Thomas and Ruth Moore. Presley bought the 10,266-square-foot home in 1957 for $102,500.…
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Sports Broadcasting: Spreading the News Since 1921
On this date in 1939, the first live television broadcast of a sporting event in the United States happened. Here are some things you may not have known about the early days of sports broadcasting. If a fan couldn’t get to the stadium to see their team in action, traditionally they would have to wait…
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Rand McNally: The Lost Episode
On this date in 1924, Rand McNally published its first road atlas. Here are some things you may not have known about the company that went on to become synonymous with road maps in the United States. The company was formed in 1868, when William Rand and Andrew McNally purchased the printing business of the…
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Triangle Shirtwaist Fire: A Turning Point for Labor in America
Today is the 105th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City. Here are some things you may not have known about it. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was located on the eighth, ninth and 10th floors of the Asch Building in Greenwich Village at the corner of Green Street and Washington Place.…
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Exxon Valdez: An Oil Spill Nightmare
Today is the 27th anniversary of the grounding of the Exxon Valdez and subsequent oil spill. Here are some things you may not know about the environmental disaster. The supertanker was carrying about 55 million gallons of crude oil from Valdez, Alaska, to Long Beach, California. Valdez is the southern end of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.…
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Domain Names: Directing Traffic Since 1985
On this date in 1985, the first Internet domain name, symbolics.com, was registered. Here are some things you may not have known about domain names and their history. Domain names are what identifies resources on the Internet. TriviaPeople.com is our domain name and .com is the world’s most popular top-level domain. Symbolics, the company that…
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Murrow and McCarthy: A Television Takedown
On this date in 1954, CBS television broadcast an episode of “See it Now” with Edward R. Murrow called “A Report on Senator Joseph McCarthy.” Here are some things you may not have known about Murrow, McCarthy and “See It Now.” Edward R. Murrow was born in North Carolina in 1908. At the age of…
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Levi Strauss: It’s in the Jeans
187 years ago today, Levi Strauss was born in what is now Germany. Here are a few things you may not have known about the man whose name has become synonymous with blue jeans. At the age of 18, Strauss moved to the United States with his mother and two sisters. They joined his brothers…
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Miracle on Ice: An (Eventually) Golden Moment
On this date in 1980, the United States ice hockey team won the gold medal during the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. Here are some things you may not have known about the “Miracle on Ice.” The 1980 Olympics were the second winter games held in Lake Placid. The 1932 Winter Olympics, the…