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Historical People and Events for February
 

By John T. Marck

February 1

Thomas Jefferson's "Monticello" construction began, 1769

Underground Railroad was established, 1838

Texas seceded from the Union, 1861

February 2

New Amsterdam, now New York City, was incorporated, 1653

National League of Professional Baseball Clubs was formed in New York, 1876

Patent for the "Bottle Cap" received, 1892

Frank James of "James Gang" died, 1915

February 3

Belle Starr, outlaw, died at age 41, 1889

President Woodrow Wilson died, 1924

February 4

George Washington was appointed President of the Constitutional Convention, 1782

The Confederate States of America formed, 1861

Patty Hearst was kidnapped, 1974

February 5

The first double-feature theatrical performance held, 1819

General Joseph Hooker organized the Army of the Potomac, 1863

February 6

Massachusetts entered the Union, 1788 (6th)

Robert E. Lee was named general-in-chief of the Confederate Army, 1865

President Ronald Reagan was born, 1911

The Beatles US album Hey Jude was released, 1970

February 7

The Battle of Petersburg occurred , 1865

The Baltimore Fire destroyed 80 blocks/2600 buildings, 1904

The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated, 1910

The Beatles first United States visit began in New York, 1964

February 8

The Confederate Constitution adopted (provisional), 1861

Federal gold purchase of $62 million made by United States Treasury Dept., 1895

February 9

President William Henry Harrison was born, 1773

The Battle of Monte Cassino, 1944

Iwo Jima invaded by United States troops during WWII, 1945

February 10

The Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years War, 1763

Peace treaty with Spain signed by President McKinley, 1899

February 11

Department of Agriculture raised to Cabinet status by Congress, 1889

Japanese resistance ceased on Guadalcanal (WWII), 1943

February 12

First Lady Louisa Adams was born, 1775

President Abraham Lincoln was born, 1809

February 13

First Lady Angelica Van Buren was born, 1816

New Federal Ironclad "Indianola" began its journey, 1863

First Lady Bess Truman was born, 1885

February 14

American ship "Ranger" carried the Stars and Stripes to a foreign port for the first time as it arrived in France, 1778

Oregon entered Union, 1859 (33rd)

Arizona entered Union, 1912 (48th)

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre occurred, 1929

February 15

The city of St. Louis was established, 1764

Susan B. Anthony was born in Adams, Massachusetts, 1820

The first adhesive postage stamps were introduced, 1842

February 16

General Ulysses S. Grant earned his nickname of "Unconditional Surrender Grant," following the surrender of Confederates at Ft. Donelson, 1862

Tomb of King Tutankhamen unsealed in Egypt, 1923

Fidel Castro became premier of Cuba, 1959

The nation's first 911 system went into effect, 1968

February 17

A Baltimore street was first to be lighted with gas, from the America's first gas company, 1817

Provisional Confederate Congress held its last meeting, 1862

The first ship passed through Suez Canal, 1867

The first issue of Newsweek Magazine was published, 1933

February 18

Jefferson Davis was made the provisional President of the Confederacy, 1861

The "Chicago 7" was found innocent of inciting riots, 1970

February 19

Thomas Edison received his patent for the phonograph, 1878

Navy Distinguished Service Medal authorized, 1919

Diathermy machine first used, 1929

February 20

President George Washington signed an act creating the United States Post Office, 1792

Frederick Douglass died in Washington D.C., 1895

Astronaut John Glenn, became the first American to orbit the Earth aboard the Friendship VII Mercury capsule, 1962

February 21

The Washington Monument was dedicated, 1885

World War I Battle of Verdun began in France, 1916

Black Muslim leader Malcolm X was assassinated, 1965

President Nixon visited Peking, China, 1972

February 22

President George Washington was born, 1732

Spain ceded Florida to the United States, 1819

Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as President of the Confederacy, 1862

Frank Winfield Woolworth opened a 5-cent store in Utica, New York, 1879

February 23

Composer George Frideric Handel was born in Germany, 1685

The Battle at the Alamo began, 1836

Mississippi was readmitted to the Union, 1870

President John Quincy Adams died, 1848

February 24

Supreme Court overturned United States law for first time, 1803

President Andrew Johnson was impeached by United States House of Representatives; and was later acquitted by the Senate, 1868

The Voice of America first went on the airwaves, 1942

United States soldiers liberated Manila from Japan, 1945

February 25

Pope Pius V excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I, 1570

Samuel Colt, patented his revolver, 1836

First Lady Anna Harrison died, 1864

February 26

French literary giant Victor Hugo was born in Besancon, 1802

William F."Buffalo Bill" Cody was born in Iowa, 1846

Allies retake Kasserine Pass during WWII, 1943

The 22nd Amendment to United States Constitution was ratified, 1951

February 27

The District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress, 1801

Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine, 1807

United States Supreme Court upheld the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees the right of women to vote, 1922

February 28

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the first United States Railroad chartered to carry passengers and freight was incorporated, 1827

Republican Party formed in Ripon, Wisconsin, 1854

The Territory of Colorado was organized, 1861,

February 29

The Panama Canal Commission was founded, 1904

Filibuster against Civil Rights began, 1960

The Grammy Awards were first held, 1968

 

Copyright © 1993-2022 by John T. Marck. All Rights Reserved. This article and their accompanying pictures, photographs, and line art, may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author.