The drive and determination of those who have changed our country.
February 24, 1938
No one could have known how very big the news Variety announced on 12-24-38 would be: It was announced that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) bought the rights to adapt for the screen L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Sixteen-year-old Judy Garland was cast as the lead. Today, of course, we know how beloved the film became, and it ranks sixth on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest films of all time (compiled in 1999).
February 26, 1919 and 1929
February 26 was a good day for conservation; two national parks were established in the United States 10 years apart–the Grand Canyon in 1919 and the Grand Tetons in 1929. In January 1908, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt designated more than 800,000 acres of the Grand Canyon a national monument; it was designated a national park under President Woodrow Wilson in 1919.
Exactly ten years later, President Calvin Coolidge signed into law a bill passed by both houses of the U.S. Congress establishing the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
Welcome to America Comes Alive!, a site I created to share little-known stories of America’s past.
These stories are about Americans—people just like you—who have made a difference and changed the course of history. Look around the site and find what inspires you.
Here are a few fun ways to share small bits of history with your children:
New Ideas for Sharing History with your Children
Fun Facts to Share with your Children
And here are some facts about our presidents that adults may be glad to know:
Ten Fun Facts About Our Presidents
Thomas Edison’s personal work table in his laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey. The photo was taken on one of Kate’s trips exploring this country.
