Stories of America’s Past
Welcome to America Comes Alive!, a site I created to share little-known stories of regular people who made a difference and changed the course of history. Look around and see what inspires you! — Kate Kelly

On
This
Day
On January 24, 1935, beer was sold in cans for the first time. In partnership with the American Can Company, the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company delivered 2,000 cans of its beer and ale to faithful Krueger drinkers in Richmond, Virginia. The response was overwhelmingly positive, so Krueger began manufacturing canned beer permanently. Early attempts to can beer had failed, but the invention of a pressurized can with a coating that prevented the beer from chemically reacting with the tin was the success formula they needed. Cans were easier to stack, to ship, and to chill. Cans began to erode the bottled beer market.
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Part of the inspiration for this site comes from this remark: “People do not want to hear about simple things. They want to hear about great things – simply told.”
Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams (1860-1935)