History Happened Today

On June 19, 1901, Annie Edson Taylor began promoting a plan that sounded impossible: surviving a trip over Niagara Falls inside a barrel. More than a century later, her daring stunt remains one of the most unbelievable acts of courage and determination in American history.

On June 18, 1974, a failed adhesive experiment took a major step toward becoming one of the most successful office products in history. Discover how an invention that wasn't supposed to work eventually became the Post-it Note and changed workplaces around the world.

On June 17, 1885, the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor aboard a French ship, packed into more than 200 crates. Before she became America's most recognizable symbol, Lady Liberty had to be assembled piece by piece. Discover the remarkable story behind one of history's most famous deliveries.

On June 16, 1973, Secretariat delivered one of the most dominant performances in sports history, winning the Belmont Stakes by an unbelievable 31 lengths and capturing the Triple Crown. More than fifty years later, the race is still considered one of the greatest athletic achievements ever witnessed.

When his ship sank during World War II, sailor Poon Lim found himself alone on a small life raft in the Atlantic Ocean. What followed was one of the most extraordinary survival stories ever recorded. On June 15, discover how one man survived 133 days adrift at sea against impossible odds.

Flag Day is celebrated across America every June 14, but few people know it began with the efforts of a young teacher named Bernard J. Cigrand. Discover how one classroom lesson grew into a national tradition and helped create one of America's most enduring observances.

On June 13, 1942, park ranger Roy Sullivan survived the first of seven documented lightning strikes. His unbelievable story would earn him a place in world record history and leave people wondering if some individuals are simply magnets for bad luck.

On June 12, 1926, explorer Roald Amundsen and his crew completed one of the greatest journeys in aviation history, flying over the North Pole aboard the airship Norge. Their daring expedition helped redefine what was possible in the age of exploration.

In 1925, cave explorer Floyd Collins became trapped deep beneath Kentucky, sparking one of America's first national media sensations. Millions followed the rescue attempt as the nation hoped for a miracle. It's a dramatic story of exploration, perseverance, and the power of storytelling.

On June 10, 1935, a laboratory experiment produced a remarkable new material called nylon. Originally created through scientific curiosity, nylon would go on to transform fashion, manufacturing, warfare, and everyday life. It's the story of one of history's most important accidental discoveries.