The story of the American West is a story of emigration—hundreds of thousands of pioneers heading West, originally to areas west of the Mississippi River, and later to areas west of the Rockies, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. When news that gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in
This month we commemorate the anniversary of the convening of the first General Assembly at the Jamestowne Colony in August 1619, an event that historians point to as the very first representative government in North America. For an entire week, the Jamestowne representatives met in a wooden church built within
Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Lewis In the history of the American West (by which I mean west of the Mississippi), two events arguably were the starting point for the western expansion of America, and the migration of millions of settlers from east to west over the
The history of the Colony of New Netherland in North America (today’s New York) is inseparable from the history of one man: Peter Stuyvesant, who served as the Director-General from 1647 to 1665, when the Colony was taken over by the English. We honor his memory today, the 353rd anniversary
On this day in 1860, folk heroine Annie Oakley was born in a log cabin in Illinois. By age 8 she was demonstrating her extraordinary sharp-shooting skills, and at age 15 she began a long career as a star of Wild West shows, most famously Buffalo Bill’s traveling show, touring America and
On August 13, 1910, one of the pioneering women in the field of medicine and medical practices passed away. Florence Nightingale is considered to be the founder of modern nursing, and her work heavily influenced American healthcare and medical practices. At the height of her career in the mid-1800’s she
As we enter the Fall season, thoughts of many Americans turn to the upcoming holidays, especially Thanksgiving, when we traditionally honor the memory of our Pilgrim ancestors who came on the Mayflower in 1620 and founded the Plymouth Colony. The Plymouth Colony was short-lived, as it ultimately merged into the
We’ve posted a number of stories about memorable figures in American history who led armies, settled the West, governed our earliest colonies, or distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavor— but not business leaders, some of whom played critical roles in the development of our country. One such person was
James Armistead Lafayette was a Continental Army double agent tasked with spying on the British during the Revolutionary War. He was born into slavery and enslaved by William Armistead, a Virginia man supportive of the Patriot cause. James joined the Continental Army under the Marquis de Lafayette, a French military
Long forgotten today, one of the most important political figures in 17th century colonial America was William Berkeley, who died this day on July 9, 1677. Berkeley was the Governor of the Virginia Colony from 1642 to 1652, then again from 1660 to 1677. During the better part of four
Americans sometimes forget—or never were taught—that the first permanent English settlement in North America was not in New England—it was Jamestown Colony in Virginia. During the 17th Century, the two colonies were linked by trade and commerce, and sometimes by family ties. As well, the people of New England and
Unless you’re a serious student of the American Civil War, you may not know much about one of the most important generals to lead Union Army troops during the war: General Philip Sheridan, who died this day in August 1888 at the age of 57. Also little known to most
On this day in 1792, British General John Burgoyne died in London at the age of 70. Along with General Charles Cornwallis, he is one of the most famous generals to lead British troops against American forces in the Revolutionary War. He has gone down in history as the general
Yesterday we commemorated the death of Calamity Jane, the colorful “partner” of Wild Bill Hickok, who died on August 1, 1903. Today, we commemorate the death of Wild Bill himself, who died this day in 1876 at the age of 39– shot to death in a saloon in Deadwood South Dakota
On this day in 1903, one of the most famous female characters in the history of the American West died in South Dakota at the young age of 51. “Calamity Jane” was born Martha Jane Canary in 1852. According to her autobiography, she grew up in Missouri, the eldest of
He is the namesake of one of America’s original thirteen colonies. A university is named after him, as are numerous high schools, streets, parks and monuments. One of New York City’s major train stations bears his name. But today the actual person is barely remembered, let alone honored. So today,