Did you know? Jan. 18, 2018

January 18 is Winnie the Pooh day.

Winnie the Pooh day celebrates the birthday of author A A Milne. Winnie the Pooh first appeared on the printed page in 1926, together with friends Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore. All of them were based on toys owned by the author’s son, who also featured in the famous stories as Christopher Robin. The character later starred in a series of much-loved Disney films.

Today in history: January 18, 1911: The First Landing at Sea

Aviation pioneer Eugene Burton Eli took off from Tanforan Racetrack in San Bruno, California, and landed on the deck of the USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco harbor.

This was the first ever landing of a fixed wing aircraft on a ship, and was also the first time arresting gear was used. 2 months prior on November 14, 1910, Eli was the first to take off from the deck of a ship when he flew the same plane off the bow of the USS Birmingham at Hampton Roads, Virginia.Upon liftoff the plane dove for the water, but Eli managed to bring it up as the plane’s wheels skimmed the water.
Naval aviation had been born.

Weird fact: America’s first UFO

In 1639, America’s first UFO was sighted over the Charles River in Boston. Mysterious lights flew back and forth across the Charles River from Back Bay Fens to Charlestown. Puritan Governor John Winthrop made an entry in his journal regarding this strange event. The primary witness was described as a man of good reputation, activity and estate in Boston:

“In this year one James Everell, a sober, discreet man, and two others, saw a great light in the night at Muddy River. When it stood still, it flamed up, and was about three yards square; when it ran, it was contracted into the figure of a swine: it ran as swift as an arrow towards Charlton [Charlestown], and so up and down [for] about two or three hours. They were come down in their lighter about a mile, and, when it was over, they found themselves carried quite back against the tide to the place they came from. Divers other credible persons saw the same light, after, about the same place.”