Today in History
October 09
1888: The Washington Monument officially opened to the public on this day. The cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848 at a ceremony that Abraham Lincoln attended. Construction began but was halted in 1854 and did not begin again until 1877, 12 years after the Civil War. The capstone was placed on the monument on Dec. 6, 1884 and it was officially dedicated on Feb. 21, 1885 but did not officially open to the public until 1888. On August 23, 2011, an earthquake caused significant damage to the top of the monument. The monument was built as a tribute to George Washington, the nation's first president. Marble for the monument came from Texas, Maryland, and Massachusetts.
STAY CURRENT
Birds of a Feather – Bird Together
Editor's Note (Oct. 8, 2026): Many years ago I decided to cover The Big Sit, an event at a national wildlife refuge in which...
25th Anniversary of 9/11 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Editor’s Note: Sept. 14, 2026 – On September 11, 2001, I was producing a student news section within a major broadcast network’s website. While...
SCIENCE IN HISTORY
Pathfinder Pilot Recalls D-Day
Editor's Note: In May 2019 I traveled to Oxford, Connecticut for media day hosted by the D-Day Squadron as they prepared to depart to...
See the Forest AND the Trees at Redwood National Park
Editor's Note: In 2015, I visited a redwood forest in northern California for the first time. Before arriving at the edge of the forest,...
Take a Hike – Into a Cauldron!
Editor's Note: In 2015, I visited Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. Its history is the history of the National Park Service because...
Glass: a Hot and Cool Combo of Art and Science
Editor's note: One of the hottest and coolest stories I have covered was my 2016 visit to the Toledo Museum of Art's Glass Pavilion...
Sneakers Have Soles – and Soul
Editor's note: In December 2015 I learned of a new exhibit at the Toledo Museum of Art - The Rise of Sneaker Culture. Curated...
A Graphic Novel: On the Front Lines with Larry Lather*
Editor's note: Feb. 11, 2026 - In 2020 as the pandemic unfolded, I decided to create a graphic novel about the importance of handwashing...
RECOMMENDED READING
Nancy Love: WASP Pilot
May 22, 2026 - Nancy Love: WASP Pilot by Sarah Byrn Rickman (2019) is the story of...
Book Recommendation: The Berlin Candy Bomber
March 20, 2026 - The Berlin Candy Bomber by Gail Halvorsen (2010, 244 pages) is Halvorsen's autobiography...
Book Recommendation: Rosa Parks: A Life
March 17, 2026 - In the 1990s, Douglas Brinkley, author and historian, was searching for a definitive...