September 5, 1774
The first Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia.
September 21, 1784
America’s first daily paper, "The Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser", was published in Philadelphia.
September 14, 1814
Frances Scott Key, an attorney in Washington, DC, was aboard a warship that was bombarding Fort McHenry (an outpost protecting the city of Baltimore, MD). Key wrote some famous words to express his feelings. The words, "The Star- Spangled Banner,” officially became the U.S. national anthem by an act of Congress in 1931.
September 5, 1844
Iron ore was discovered in Minnesota’s Mesabi Mountains.
September 27, 1854
Steamship Arctic sank with 300 people aboard.
September 2, 1864
Union General William T. Sherman captured the city of Atlanta, Georgia.
September 26, 1874
The first Grand International Rifle match was held.
September 20, 1884
If you thought equal rights for women is a modern concept, think again. On this day, the Equal Rights Party was formed in San Francisco, California. The party nominated Mrs. Belva Lockwood as their U.S. presidential candidate and Marietta Snow as Lockwood’s running mate.
September 4, 1894
In New York City, over 12,000 tailors went on strike protesting sweat shops.
September 27, 1894
Aqueduct Race Track opened in New York.
September 9, 1904
Mounted police were first used in New York City.
September 20, 1904
Wilbur and Orville Wright flew a circle in their Flyer II.
September 28, 1904
A woman was arrested for smoking a cigarette in a car on 5th Avenue in New York City.
September 7, 1914
The New York Post Office Building opened its doors to the public. The brand new building on Eighth Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets in New York City bore the inscription, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” The inscription is a free translation from Herodotus, the Greek historian and was supplied by William M. Kendall of the architectural firm that designed the post office.
September 12, 1914
Yankees shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh, 23, became the youngest manager.
September 8, 1924
Alexandra Kollontai of Russia became the first woman ambassador.
September 16, 1924
Jim Bottomley of the St. Louis Cardinals set a major-league baseball record by knocking in 12 runs in a single game.
September 25, 1924
Malcolm Campbell set the world auto speed record of the day at 146.16 miles per hour.
September 7, 1934
The luxury liner “Morro Castle” burned off the coast of New Jersey, killing 134 people.
September 13, 1934
Judge Landis sold World Series broadcast rights to Ford for $100,000.
September 15, 1934
NBC radio presented "The Gibson Family" to American audiences. The program was the first musical-comedy-drama to be broadcast. Ernest Whitman and Eddie Green were featured members of the cast and were billed as “network radio’s only colored comedians.” The show originated from the studios of WEAF in New York City.
September 17, 1934
RCA Victor released its first 33 1/3 rpm recording, (Beethoven’s 5th).
September 19, 1934
Bruno Haptmann was arrested for kidnapping the Lindbergh baby.
September 24, 1934
Babe Ruth bid farewell to the New York Yankees. It was the Babe’s last game in Yankee Stadium and for the team. The Yankees lost to the Boston Red Sox, 5-0.
September 25, 1934
"Hot Lips" was recorded by Henry Busse and his orchestra in Chicago, IL.
September 30, 1934
President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Boulder Dam, (Hoover Dam).
September 8, 1944
Ed Wynn resumed his radio career after seven years off the air. Wynn starred in "Happy Island" on the NBC Blue network.
September 11, 1944
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met in Canada at the 2nd Quebec Conference.
September 12, 1944
US Army troops entered Germany for the first time.
September 28, 1944
WABD in New York City telecast the first full-length comedy written for TV. Ray Nelson was in the director’s chair for "The Boys from Boise".
Chart Toppers - September 1944
I’ll Be Seeing You - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Frank Sinatra)
Swinging on a Star - Bing Crosby
It Could Happen to You - Jo Stafford
Soldier’s Last Letter - Ernest Tubb
September 3, 1954
"The Lone Ranger" was heard on radio for the final time after 2,956 episodes spanning 21 years. Many of the original ABC radio shows later became available through syndication and can still be heard on stations brave enough to air dramas in today’s radio world of talk and music.
September 4, 1954
Peter B. Cortese of the United States achieved a one-arm dead lift of 370 pounds at York, Pennsylvania. It was 22 pounds over triple his body weight.
September 6, 1954
A United States airplane was shot down over Siberia.
September 9, 1954
The Indians became the first Cleveland team to win 100 games in a season.
September 11, 1954
The Miss America Pageant was televised live coast-to-coast for the first time. Bob Russell was the host. Lee Meriwether, age 19 from California, was crowned Miss America by a panel of judges that included movie queen Grace Kelly.
September 12, 1954
"Lassie" was seen on CBS-TV for the first time. Despite being called “girl” by Jeff Miller, who starred as Tommy, and Jan Clayton, who starred as Jeff's mom, Ellen, Lassie was, in reality, a male dog. In fact, there were more than a half-dozen Lassie dogs doing stunts. "Lassie" ran on CBS for exactly 17 years. The last show aired on September 12, 1971.
September 12, 1954
A standing-room-only crowd of 84,587 arrived at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, to watch the Indians play the New York Yankees. The Indians won both ends of the doubleheader: 4-1 and 3-2.
September 13, 1954
The cover of "LIFE" magazine was adorned with Judy Garland’s picture, with the caption, “Judy Garland takes off after an Oscar.” Garland had been nominated for her role in "A Star is Born".
September 14, 1954
Hurricane Edna (2nd of 1954) hit New York City causing more than $50 million in damages.
September 14, 1954
The USSR performed a nuclear test.
September 17, 1954
Rocky Marciano retained possession of the world heavyweight boxing title. He knocked out Ezzard Charles in the eighth round of their championship bout.
September 20, 1954
The first FORTRAN computer program was run.
September 27, 1954
The "Tonight" show debuted on NBC-TV. Steve Allen hosted the late-night program which began as a local New York show on WNBT-TV in June 1953. "Tonight" became a launching pad for Steve and hundreds of guests, including Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme. Skitch Henderson and orchestra provided the music.
September 30, 1954
First atomic-powered vessel, submarine Nautilus launched.
September 30, 1954
Julie Andrews, who would later become a household name in movies, TV and on records, opened on Broadway for the first time. The future star of "The Sound of Music" appeared in "The Boy Friend" this night.
Chart Toppers - 1954
Sh-Boom - The Crew Cuts
Hey There - Rosemary Clooney
Skokiaan - Ralph Marterie
I Don’t Hurt Anymore - Hank Snow
The High and the Mighty - Victor Young
September 3, 1964
US Attorney General Robert Kennedy resigned from his post.
September 3, 1964
Wilderness Act signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
September 5, 1964
The Animals’ "House of the Rising Sun" made it to #1. It stayed at the top until it was replaced three weeks later by Roy Orbison’s "Oh, Pretty Woman". Orbison’s smash was just entering the pop charts on this day for a 14-week run.
September 10, 1964
Rod Stewart recorded his first tune, titled "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", for Decca. It was not one of his more successful recordings.
September 11, 1964
The last of the "Friday Night Fights" was seen on free, home TV. The Gillette Safety Razor Company, Madison Square Garden and ABC-TV televised a fight between Dick Tiger and Don Fullmer from Cleveland, OH. Tiger beat Fullmer to wrap up the 20-year TV series. Boxing soon went to closed-circuit TV in theatres and to cable and pay-per-view TV.
September 12, 1964
The first football game was played at Shea Stadium; the Jets defeated Denver 30-6.
September 14, 1964
Walt Disney was awarded a Medal of Freedom at the White House.
September 16, 1964
"Shindig" premiered on ABC-TV. The program had go-go girls and the biggest rock bands of the day in a dance party environment. It was hosted by LA disc jockey Jimmie O’Neill and house band, The Shin-diggers and the Shin-digger dancers. The first show featured Sam Cooke, The Everly Brothers, The Righteous Brothers, The Wellingtons, Bobby Sherman and comic Alan Sues.
September 17, 1964
The Beatles were paid a then record $150,000 for a show in Kansas.
September 17, 1964
“Bewitched” premiered on ABC-TV. The show, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, ran for 254 episodes and was last telecast in 1972.
September 22, 1964
Robert Vaughn starred as Napoleon Solo when "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." debuted on NBC-TV. Solo’s trusty side-kick in this James Bond spoof was Illya Kuryakin, played by David McCallum. The show was a hit for 3½ seasons.
September 23, 1964
“Fiddler on the Roof” with Zero Mostel opened at the Imperial Theater in New York City for 3,242 performances.
September 24, 1964
“Munsters” show premiered on CBS-TV. The creepy family of the spider web covered residence at 1313 Mockingbird Lane considered themselves a normal family.
September 26, 1964
"Gilligan’s Island" began its 98-show run on CBS. The TV show starred Bob Denver in the title role, Jim Backus as Mr. Howell, Natalie Schafer as Lovey Howell, Alan Hale as the Skipper, Russell Johnson as the Professor and Dawn Wells and Tina Louise as Mary Ann and Ginger.
September 28, 1964
Comedian Harpo (Arthur) Marx, (Marx Brothers), died at the age of 75.
Chart Toppers – 1964
The House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
Oh, Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
Because - The Dave Clark Five
Bread and Butter - The Newbeats
I Guess I’m Crazy - Jim Reeves
G.T.O. - Ronny & The Daytonas
Published U. S. Legacies September 2004
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