This Day in History
In Alaska
• In 1871, Walter Mendenhall, for whom the Mendenhall Glacier was named, was born.
• In 1899, the first passenger train reached White Pass in Canada's Yukon Territory.
• In 1907, the Pioneers of Alaska was organized at Nome, which became Igloo No. 1.
• In 1941, the filling of West Willoughby Avenue with waste rock from the Alaska Juneau mine began.
In the nation
• In 1792, President Washington signed an act creating the U.S. Post Office.
• In 1809, the Supreme Court ruled the power of the federal government is greater than that of any individual state.
• In 1839, Congress prohibited dueling in the District of Columbia.
• In 1933, the House of Representatives completed congressional action on an amendment to repeal Prohibition.
• In 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, flying aboard "Friendship 7."
• In 1965, the "Ranger 8" spacecraft crashed on the moon after sending back thousands of pictures of the lunar surface.
• In 1981, the space shuttle "Columbia" cleared the final major hurdle to its launch as it fired its engines in a 20-second test.