Unknown Soldiers

In a ceremony pictured aboard the USS Canberra on May 20, 1958, the selection of the World War II Unknown Serviceman and the Korean War Unknown Serviceman is taking place. The Korean War Unknown is in the center casket, while the two World War II candidates are on either side. The Korean War Unknown and the World War II Unknown on the far right were selected and taken to Arlington National Cemetery for internment. The other World War II Unknown Serviceman was buried at sea.

The Pride of Baltimore

The Pride of Baltimore was an authentic reproduction of a 19th century Baltimore Clipper topsail schooner, and was commissioned in 1977 by the citizens of Baltimore, Maryland. The tall ship, which served as a Goodwill Ambassador to promote business and tourism for the State of Maryland, was lost at sea on May 14, 1986 along with 4 of its' 12 crew members. A replica and modernized version of the original Pride, The Pride of Baltimore II, pictured above, was launched in 1988.

The Alaska Pipeline

The Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) is an 800 mile pipeline that covers an area from the Arctic Ocean south to the Gulf of Alaska. Built from 1974 to 1977 during the oil crisis, the series of 48 inch diameter pipes pumps more than 2 million barrels of crude oil from Prudhoe Bay to the port of Valdez, Alaska. Several environmental and political issues had to be satisfied over a period of time before the first barrel of oil was to be pumped. One example of these issues is the concerns of possible harm to the the habitats of the native caribou herds and other local wildlife. To date, the Alaska Pipeline has pumped nearly 16 billion barrels of oil, while managing to not disturb the local environment.

Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga is an 18th Century fort built in 1755 - 1758 near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York. The site was strategically important during the 18th Century colonial conflicts between Great Britain and France, and to a lesser extent during the American Revolutionary War. A popular tourist attraction today and a museum, it was designated a National Historic Landmark on October 9, 1960. It would eventually be placed on the National Registry of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.

My Hometown

Main Street in downtown Nashua, New Hampshire looking north is shown in this undated picture. The automobiles pictured would indicate a possible time frame of the 1940's. On the far left, the marquee of the old Daniel Webster Theatre is prominently seen, while across the street just slightly to the left of the Sears sign, we can see the old State Theatre. Both these locations kept me off the streets and ate up most of my allowance in my younger days.

Robert Todd Lincoln

Robert Todd Lincoln, with President Harding directly to his right, is pictured at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in 1922. He was the first son of President Abraham Lincoln and Marry Todd Lincoln, and the only one of Lincoln's children to live past his teenage years.

Chernobyl

The abandoned city of Pripyat, Ukraine is seen with the Chernobyl Nuclear plant in the distance. On April 26, 1986 at 1:23 am local time, the plant's number 4 reactor suffered what has been described as the worst nuclear reactor accident in history. As a result, 400 times more fallout was released than had been by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. In addition to the 56 direct deaths, it is estimated that 600,000 were exposed to the radiation, possibly resulting in 4000 lifetime cancer deaths.

Zachary Taylor

This undated photo shows Zachary Taylor, 12th President of The United States. He held the office from March 4, 1849 until July 9, 1850. Known as "Old Rough and Ready", Taylor had a 40 year military career in the US Army. At one time, he lead his troops to several victories of critical battles during the Mexican-American War. In 1848, he was recruited by the Whipp Party to be their nominee in the upcoming presidential election. On July 9, 1850, Zachary Taylor died in office at the age of 65. The cause of death was gastroenteritis from having consumed rotten cherries and spoiled milk.

Gateway To The West

This 1965 picture taken from across the Mississippi River in St Louis shows the Gateway Arch nearing its' completion. Construction began February 12, 1963 and was fully completed on October 28, 1965. The Arch was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

New York to Paris - 1908

The German car Protos is pictured on February 12, 1908 as it prepares to take part in the Great Race of 1908. The race began in New York's Times Square and the finish line was at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, with the route going via Alaska and Siberia. The Protos was assessed a 15 day penalty for having shipped the car by rail from Ogden, Utah to Seattle. Although first to cross the finish line on July 26, 1908, the car officially was ruled a second place finisher as a result of the penalty.