Archive for first
The First Nobel Laureates
Posted by: | CommentsThe first Nobel Prizes were not awarded until 1901, five years after Alfred Nobel’s death. Here are the winners of the original Nobel Prizes whose achievements have left an indelible mark on our existence.
Physics: Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen
Röntgen accidentally discovered what we now know as x-rays in 1895 while testing the effect of passing an electrical discharge through a vacuum tube. At one point in his research he accidentally saw his own skeleton and thought it was an error. However, he continued with his experiments, and today Röntgen is considered to be the father of diagnostic radiology.
Chemistry: Jacobus Henricus van ‘t Hoff
In 1874, Dr. van ‘t Hoff observed the principles of stereochemistry. Later on in his research, he would study osmotic pressure, kinetics, and equilibrium. He actually received the Nobel Prize for describing the behavior of liquids using mathematics, similar to how people had been doing for gases. His discoveries form the basis of what we know about physical chemistry today.
Physiology or Medicine: Emil Adolf von Behring
Behring discovered the diptheria antitoxin, as well as a serum therapy for tetanus. We don’t think much about it today, but diptheria was a leading cause of death among children prior to his discovery, and tetanus was the leading cause of death on the battlefield. Behring’s work on hygiene and immunity forms the basis of modern operating room procedures.
Literature: Sully Prudhomme
Prudhomme originally studied to be an engineer before becoming a lawyer. He did not enjoy law and eventually began writing poetry. Prudhomme is a perfect example of what can happen when you don’t give up on your dreams. The official text of the announcement of the awards states, “in special recognition of his poetic composition, which gives evidence of lofty idealism, artistic perfection and a rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect.”
Peace: Henry Dunant and Frédéric Passy
Henry Dunant founded the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863, and was instrumental in the first Geneva Convention which took place in 1864. Today, the Red Cross is one of the most recognizable organizations in the world, while the Geneva Conventions, of which there are now four treaties, provide the basis of the modern rules of warfare and have been ratified by 194 countries.
Frédéric Passy was a French economist who believed in the necessity of arbitration and dialogue in preventing international disputes. Passy was instrumental in creating the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which was the first permanent forum for multilateral negotiations, and he was also the first president of the union.
Do you think President Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize? Take the poll, and let EiH know!
Smith McDowell House: My Museum Day Destination
Posted by: | Comments
Smith-McDowell House Today
This past Saturday, in honor of Smithsonian Museum Day, my wife and I went to Smith-McDowell House, located in Asheville, North Carolina. Built in 1840, Smith-McDowell House is Asheville’s first mansion, first brick home, and oldest surviving structure. Over the years, it has been owned by 11 different families, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The home’s design has been greatly influenced by all of its owners, and as such, it is presented in a timeline fashion, with each room representing a different decade. Our presenter on the tour was Bill Adam, one of the most congenial people I’ve ever met. Mr. Adam’s connection to Smith-McDowell House is so intimate, that the tour took the same amount of time as a tour of the Biltmore Estate, despite it being a fraction of the Biltmore’s size. Here are a few tidbits that I picked up from my visit.
James McConnell Smith
In 1827, the Buncombe Turnpike, which connected Greenville, Tennessee to Greenville, South Carolina by way of Asheville, was completed. As a result, nearly 180,000 hogs a year passed through the area. James McConnell Smith, the “Smith” part of Smith-McDowell, was heavily invested in the Turnpike, and was also granted exclusive rights by the state of North Carolina to build the only ferry across the French Broad River. This is how James Smith made his fortune.
- James Smith never actually lived at Smith-McDowell House. He actually had it built as a testament to his wealth. At the time, western North Carolina was a popular tourist destination for wealthy families from the east coast, in particular, Charleston, South Carolina. Smith felt that by building such a grand home, the only brick house in Asheville at the time, it would be a show of his achievements.
- In 1857, William Wallace McDowell, James Smith’s son-in-law and the “McDowell” part of Smith-McDowell House, purchased the home and 300 surrounding acres for $10,000.
- In 1881, McDowell sold the home to Alexander Garrett, a wealthy businessman from St. Louis, Missouri. Despite not having his name on the house, Garrett has made perhaps the most indelible surviving mark on the house. He had an addition built onto it that connected the summer kitchen to the rest of the house. He also had oak floors installed at right angles to the pre-existing pine floors; even today, there’s not a creak in the house when you step. He replaced the wood front porch with a tile front porch, and had a solarium added to the house for his daughter who was sick with tuberculosis. Garrett also founded Victoria township, a wealthy area surrounding the house.
- George Vanderbilt had electric lights installed in Biltmore Estate in 1895. Alexander Garrett had them installed in Smith-McDowell House a year later, in 1896. I surmised that Garrett would have installed them sooner, but Vanderbilt had all the area’s electricians working on his massive estate…but I have no evidence to back that up.
Oak Valley Plantation
Most surviving homes in the southeast built before the Civil War, are in the Antebellum style, similar to Oak Valley Plantation. However, James Smith had this home built in the Greek Revival style, which was popular up north. It is said that he did this to honor the first democracy, Greece, and also to show that he had worldly tastes.
Here is what I learned from Bill Adam, that doesn’t necessarily involve Smith-McDowell House, but I feel is worthy of sharing:
- Remember how I mentioned that Alexander Garrett had a solarium added to the house for his TB-infected daughter? Well, at the time, people believed that the cool, clean mountain air could cure you of TB. For those who were not wealthy enough to build their own mansions, there were 31 TB sanitariums in the Asheville area, and TB patients from all over the country would come to Asheville to convalesce.
- William Wallace McDowell formed the Buncombe Rifleman as a response to John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry in 1859. The regiment would become part of the Confederate Army once North Carolina seceded from the Union, and would be the first one from western North Carolina.
- James Smith was Davy Crockett’s brother-in-law. Smith married Mary Patton in 1814, and Crockett married Elizabeth Patton in 1815. Today, Patton Avenue, in downtown Asheville, is named for the Patton family.
Actress Andie MacDowell
I’m unable to confirm this, but supposedly actress Andie MacDowell is related to William McDowell in some way. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility, as she was born in the Upstate of South Carolina, and her family had a summer home in Arden (just south of Asheville), but you should take this one with a grain of salt.
If you’re ever in the Asheville area, and you prefer a more intimate look at the local history than what is provided at Biltmore Estate, you should definitely swing by the Smith-McDowell House. I promise you won’t regret it.
50 Years of 50 States: The Grand Finale
Posted by: | Comments
It’s been a remarkable journey, even though we’re pulling into the station a little late. But it’s not the destination, it’s the journey, right? Along the way, we’ve found out that Ohio was actually the 47th state, the first opera performed in America was in Charleston, South Carolina, and that there is an association that exists solely to judge the flags of the states and provinces in North America (the North American Vexillological Association). It has been an amazing project, one that I have enjoyed immensely, and I hope you have, too. And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the final question. This one is for all the marbles, and everyone can participate, even previous winners. So, here it is:
What is the significance of the order in which I posted these states?
First one to get this one right wins a $50 gift card to Amazon.com! Simply submit your answer in the comments section, and if you’re the first to get it right, you win! You’ve got until noon on Thursday (9/10) to submit your answer. Good luck!
UPDATE: Here is the order in which the states were posted:
Wyoming
Maine
South Dakota
North Dakota
Idaho
Montana
New Hampshire
West Virginia
Alaska
Vermont
Kansas
Delaware
Mississippi
South Carolina
New Mexico
Utah
Rhode Island
Hawaii
Arizona
Virginia
Maryland
Connecticut
Kentucky
Arkansas
Oregon
Wisconsin
Tennessee
Missouri
Iowa
Nebraska
Nevada
Oklahoma
Louisiana
Colorado
Michigan
Alabama
New Jersey
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Florida
Indiana
North Carolina
Washington
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Texas
California
Georgia
New York
Illinois
UPDATE 2: You can find the answer on the 6th most popular website on the Internet. Search for United States state lists.
50 Years of 50 States: Illinois
Posted by: | CommentsNickname: Land of Lincoln
Date Ratified: December 3, 1818 (21st)
Capital: Springfield
Map of Illinois
- Nearly 65% of Illinois’ population lives in the northeastern corner of the state, in the Chicago metropolitan area.
- For nearly 100 years, Chicago was the second most populous city in the United States, earning it the nickname, “The Second City.” Chicago’s population shrank from 1960 through 1990, while the population of Los Angeles increased, with Chicago dropping to 3rd most populous in the 1990 census.
- The first McDonald’s was opened by Ray Kroc in Des Plaines in 1960.
- The Chicago Pile-1, built in 1942 on the campus of the University of Chicago, was the world’s first artificial nuclear reactor.
- Robert Wadlow, who stood nearly 9 feet tall, making him the tallest man in recorded history, was born in Alton, Illinois.
- The world’s first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1885. The Home Insurance Building was 10 stories, 138 feet, tall.
- Illinois was the first state to ratify the 13th amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery.
- Illinois has sent more African-Americans to the Senate than any other state.
- Three presidents have hailed from Illinois at the time of their election: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, and Barack Obama. However, the only president born in Illinois, is Ronald Reagan.
- The Chicago Public Library is the world’s largest public library, with over 2 million books.
- The Chicago Post Office at 433 West Van Buren is the only postal facility in the world you can drive a car through.
- The state flag of Illinois was adopted in 1915, and depicts the Great Seal of Illinois.
Flag of Illinois
Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed, or follow EiH on Twitter or you could miss out on your chance to win a USA License Plate Map Fine Art Poster or a $50 gift card to Amazon.com!
50 Years of 50 States: New York
Posted by: | CommentsNickname: The Empire State
Date Ratified: July 26, 1788 (11th)
Capital: Albany
Map of New York
- With a population of nearly 8.5 million, New York City is the most populous city in the United States. The New York metropolitan area, which includes parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, was also the first in the world to reach 10 million people.
- The first state park in the U.S. was established at Niagara Falls in 1885.
- The First U.S. Congress and the Supreme Court each assembled for the first time in New York City, and George Washington was inaugurated there. Also, The Bill of Rights was drafted at Federal Hall, on Wall St.
- Central Park, created in 1857, was America’s first landscaped park.
- The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which connects Staten Island and Brooklyn, was the world’s largest suspension bridge when it was completed in 1964. It was surpassed in 1981 by the Humber Bridge in the United Kingdom, but it remains the largest suspension bridge in the U.S.
- The Holland Tunnel, which connects Jersey City, NJ with Manhattan, was the world’s first mechanically ventilated vehicular tunnel. It also has the distinction of not being named for a local hero, politician, or historical person of interest, rather being named for its first chief engineer.
- The New York Post, established by Alexander Hamilton in 1803, is the oldest running newspaper in the U.S.
- The state flag of New York bears the state’s coat of arms, which was adopted in 1778. The modern flag, which was adopted in 1901 is based on the Revolutionary War flag, with the only difference being that the field is blue.
Flag of New York
Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed, or follow EiH on Twitter or you could miss out on your chance to win a USA License Plate Map Fine Art Poster or a $50 gift card to Amazon.com!
50 Years of 50 States: California
Posted by: | CommentsNickname: The Golden State
Date Ratified: September 9, 1850 (31st)
Capital: Sacramento
Map of California
- California is the most populous state in the United States, and has been since the 1960s. With a population of 36 million, it has 12 million more residents than the number 2 state, Texas.
- California has the unique distinction of being the site of the highest and lowest points in the continental U.S.; Mt. Whitney and Death Valley.
- The California State Railroad Museum, in Sacramento, is the largest museum of its kind in North America.
- At 3 million acres, San Bernandino County, in southern California, is the largest county in the U.S.
- The Hollywood Bowl is the world’s largest outdoor amphitheater.
- The first star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was awarded to Jane Woodward in 1960.
- San Francisco Bay is the world’s largest landlocked harbor.
- California was the first state whose Gross State Product reached a trillion dollars, and has the largest economy of any state. In fact, California has the 7th largest economy in the world, when compared to independent countries.
- California is 1 of 4 states, the others being Vermont, Hawaii, and Texas, that was a sovereign nation prior to statehood. The short-lived California Republic was declared during the Mexican-American War, and was claimed as land seceded by Mexico following the war.
- The state flag of California was adopted in 1911, and is based on the flag flown during the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt. It depicts a California Grizzly Bear, a subspecies of grizzly bear that is now extinct.
Flag of California
Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed, or follow EiH on Twitter or you could miss out on your chance to win a USA License Plate Map Fine Art Poster or a $50 gift card to Amazon.com!
50 Years of 50 States: Texas
Posted by: | CommentsNickname: The Lone Star State
Date Ratified: December 29, 1845 (28th)
Capital: Austin
Map of Texas
- Texas is the largest of the lower 48 states by over 100,000 square miles. Texas is so huge, that El Paso is actually closer to California than to Dallas. Despite this fact, Texas is less than half the size of Alaska.
- Texas is the only state to have had the flags of 6 different sovereign nations flown over it. Also, the six nations that claimed Texas at some point were Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the United States. The first of the Six Flags Amusement Parks was built in Arlington, TX, hence the name.
- Texas, an independent nation from 1836-1845, is the only state to achieve statehood through treaty, as opposed to territorial annexation.
- Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. When soft drink companies began using high fructose corn syrup late last century, the original Dr Pepper bottler in Dublin, TX refused, and continued to use pure cane sugar. To this day, you can find the original blend known as Dublin Dr Pepper throughout much of Texas.
- The Waco Bridge, built in 1870, was the first suspension bridge in the United States. It is still in use as a foot-bridge over the Brazos River.
- The Heisman Trophy is named for John William Heisman, who was the first full time head football coach at Rice University in Houston.
- The state flag of Texas was actually the last national flag of the Republic Texas, as it was approved in 1839. A popular urban legend is that due to Texas’ status as a sovereign nation prior to statehood, it is the only state whose flag can fly at the same height as the American flag. However, this is false, as the United States Flag Code states that any state flag can fly at the same height as the American flag, as long as its flagpole is to the left of the Stars and Stripes.
Flag of Texas
Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed, or follow EiH on Twitter or you could miss out on your chance to win a USA License Plate Map Fine Art Poster or a $50 gift card to Amazon.com!
