September 21

Today in History
• 1677 - Jan and Nicolaas van der Heyden patent the fire hose
• 1893 - Frank Duryea drives the 1st American-made gas propelled vehicle
• 1895 - America's first automotive producer, Duryea Motor Wagon Company, founded
• 1897 - NY Sun runs famous "Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus" editorial
• 1903 - First cowboy film "Kit Carson" premieres in US
• 1928 - "My Weekly Reader" magazine made its debut
• 1930 - Johann Ostermeyer patents flashbulb
• 1934 - Typhoon strikes Honshu Island Japan, kills 4,000


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Armenia Independence Day
• Mabon Day
• Malta Independence Day
• Miniature Golf Day
• National Pecan Cookie Day
• Telegraph Pole Appreciation Day
• World Alzheimer’s Day
• World Gratitude Day

Birthdays
• 1051 - Bertha of Savoy, German queen and Holy Roman Empire Empress
• 1328 - Hongwu, 1st Emperor of Ming Dynasty of China (1368-98)
• 1415 - Frederick III of Innsbruck, German Emperor (1440-1493)
• 1428 - Jingtai, 7th Emperor of the Ming dynasty of China (1449-57)
• 1645 - Louis Jolliet, Canadian explorer (explored the origins of the Mississippi River)
• 1756 - John Loudon McAdam, engineer, road builder who created macadam (asphalt)
• 1788 - Margaret Taylor, wife of Zachary Taylor and 1st lady of the United States (1849-50)
• 1909 - Kwame Nkrumah, 1st Prime Minister and 1st President of Ghana