1768 – 1st American chartered fire insurance company opens (Penn).
1792 – US postal service created, postage 6 cents – 12 cents depending on distance.
1809 – US Supreme Court rules federal government power greater than any state.
1839 – Congress prohibits dueling in District of Columbia.
1872 – Hydraulic electric elevator patented by Cyrus Baldwin.
1872 – Luther Crowell patents a machine that manufactures paper bags.
1895 – Congress authorizes a US mint at Denver, Colorado.
1922 – WOR-AM in New York City begins radio transmissions.
1927 – Golfers in SC arrested for violating Sabbath.
1933 – House of Representatives completes congressional action to repeal Prohibition.
1942 – Lt. E. H. O’Hare single-handedly shoots down 5 Japanese heavy bombers, becomes America’s first World War II flying ace.
1944 – Batman & Robin comic strip premieres in newspapers.
1952 – 1st black umpire in organized baseball certified (Emmett Ashford).
1958 – Jockey Eddie Arcaro rides his 4,000th winner.
1962 – John Glenn is 1st American to orbit Earth (Friendship 7).
1971 – National Emergency Center erroneously orders US radio & TV stations to go off the air. Mistake wasn’t resolved for 30 minutes.
1978 – 4th People’s Choice Awards: John Wayne & Barbara Streisand win (Motion Picture) and James Garner & Mary Tyler Moore win (TV).
1987 – David Hartman quits ABC’s “Good Morning America” after 11 years.
1992 – Ross Perot says he’ll run for President on the Larry King Show.
2011 – 53rd Daytona 500: Trevor Bayne wins (130.326 MPH)
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