Congress passed a resolution on March 25, 1776 commissioning the “Washington Before Boston” medal to honor George Washington’s leadership during the American Revolution.
This marked the first Congressional Gold Medal in U.S. history and it was executed in Paris by Pierre-Simon Duvivier, under the supervision of Thomas Jefferson and Colonel David Humphreys.
The medal commemorates George Washington’s leadership during the American Revolution, particularly his successful strategy in the evacuation of Boston, which was a pivotal early victory for the Continental Army. Its Latin inscription translates to: “To George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Armies, the Asserter of Liberty, by the American Congress.”
On March 25, 1948, meteorologists at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City predicted the first accurate tornado forecast is recorded history.
The weather pattern that day was very similar to the weather pattern five days earlier when a tornado touched down in the same area.
Image of Robert C. Miller USAF who was one of the meteorologists who made the first accurate tornado forecast at Tinker Air Force Base.
via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
“…they came in sight of Point Comfort in Virginia. They were now approaching the end of their wanderings. Yet this joyful prospect was somewhat clouded by the fear of hostility on the part of the Virginians, who were resolutely opposed to Lord Baltimore’s design. But the royal letters, which they bore with them, secured them a favorable reception from the governor, and, after spending eight or nine days in that colony, they again set sail on the 3d of March, steering for the mouth of the Potomac, to which they gave the name of St. Gregory. They had now arrived in the land of their adoption, and they were delighted with the wide expanse of the noble bay, and the majestic river, upon whose shores they were about to rear an empire. On the banks of the Potomac they found mighty forests stretching as far as the eye could reach; a soil rich and fertile. The air was sweet and balmy, although it was now in the month of March. They returned thanks to God for the beautiful land which he had given them.
On the beach they beheld, during the day, groups of armed natives prepared to resist their landing, and at night they saw innumerable alarm fires kindled throughout the country as signals to the tribes, while messengers passed from one to the other far into the interior, carrying the strange tidings “that canoes, as big as an island, had brought as many men as there were trees in the forest.” In spite of these demonstrations of apparent hostility, they succeeded in establishing confidence in the breasts of the natives; and having satisfied them that their intentions were peaceful, purchased from them the territory which they required. Maryland’s settlement was not marked by the shedding of the blood of the natives.
The ships now approached the Heron Islands, on one of which, St. Clements — thought to be Blackstone’s Island — the colonists determined to land, and, although the island was too small for a settlement, to build a strong fort for their protection in case of any outbreak. On the feast of “the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin,” being the 25th of March, in the year 1634, they took solemn possession of the soil of Maryland and offered up the holy sacrifice for the first time within its borders. Mass was celebrated and the pilgrims formed in procession, led by Governor Leonard Calvert, the secretary, and the other officers, carrying on their shoulders a huge cross, hewn from a tree, which they erected with religious exercises. Under such auspices was begun the founding of Maryland.”
From: History of Maryland by James McSherry
Published in 1904
https://archive.org/details/historyofmaryla00mcsh/page/19
Source says not in copyright
Image: “Landing of the Maryland colonists”
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library.
On March 25, 1954, From Here to Eternity captured 8 Academy Awards, among those was the Award for Best Picture
Image of Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr from the classic film From Here to Eternity via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Front Street showing snow drifts, Nome, Alaska
March 25, 1907
via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On March 25, 1306, (Palm Sunday) Robert the Bruce was crowned King of Scots. Theodore Roosevelt is one of Robert the Bruce’s descendants.
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SFC19110401.2.9&e=——-en–20–1–txt-txIN——–1
Images via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On March 25, 1863, William Bensinger became the second recipient of the Medal of Honor.
The year prior he participated with others in the Great Locomotive Chase, but was captured and was held as a POW in a Confederate prison camp.
He passed away at the age of 78 in December 1918, just one month after Armistice at the end of WWI.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.
On March 25, 1911, fire engulfed the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of New York’s Asch Building, location of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. Workers, mostly young women ages 14 to 23, were unable to evacuate due to locked exits and inadequate fire escapes. 146 garment workers died in the disaster.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.
Bvt. Lt. Col. Myles Keogh shown standing on the far left next to Maj. Gen. John Buford who is seated. Keogh was born on March 25, 1840 in Leighlinbridge, County Carlow, Ireland. He became a soldier in the Union Army and fought in numerous battles during the American Civil War including Antietam and Gettysburg. In the years following the Civil War Keogh joined the same cavalry unit that was led by George Custer and perished in The Battle of Little Bighorn.
Image taken between 1861-1865 via Library of Congress, no known restrictions
American sports journalist Howard Cosell was born on March 25, 1918 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Image: Howard Cosell in 1975 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On today’s date March 25, 1960, Roy Orbison recorded the hit song “Only The Lonely”
Image:
Roy Orbison on the 25th of March, 1965 Jack de Nis / Anefo, CCO via Wikimedia Commons
“You can’t fit the Almighty into your intellectual categories.”
a quote by American novelist Flannery O’Connor who was born on March 25, 1925 in Savannah, Georgia.
Image from
Cmacauley • CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
