Alabama College for Women, Montevallo — March 5, 1929.

The date printed on this photograph marks an early campus gathering captured on the front steps of the newly completed Palmer Hall, the auditorium and administrative building that became the cultural center of the college. Although the university held its formal dedication of Palmer Hall a year later, in April 1930, the building was already in active use by March 1929. Founded in 1896 as the Alabama Girls’ Industrial School, the institution evolved into today’s University of Montevallo, with Palmer Hall later becoming the permanent home of the long‑running College Night tradition.

The youngest American flying ace of WWII, Van E. Chandler, was born on March 5, 1925 in Kemp, Texas.
He shot down a fifth enemy aircraft and achieved flying ace status at the age of 19.

Van E. Chandler later flew combat missions during the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domainj

March 5, 1595 is believed to be the date when William Blaxton was born in Horncastle, Lincolnshire England. He was the first European to settle in the city of Boston.

Artist’s hypothetical sketch of Blaxton’s house in Boston, Massachusetts in the 1630’s. By Edwin Whitefield [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Honor & Remember

“Crispus Attucks, the first martyr of the American Revolution, King (now State) Street, Boston, March 5th, 1770”

via Library of Congress, no known restrictions

On March 5, 1900, leadership at New York University received a donation from a generous benefactor in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars (later more than doubled) toward the completion of “The Hall of Fame of Great Americans” in the Bronx, N.Y.

The Hall features the busts of notable Americans such as Ulysses S. Grant, Eli Whitney, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Abraham Lincoln, Washington Irving and more.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Inauguration of President Hayes, showing Senate wing of the U.S. Capitol and the crowd on the lawn before it, March 5, 1877

Hayes entered office after one of the closest elections in American history, committing his presidency to civil service reform and a calmer national tone after Reconstruction. His administration also quietly ushered in a new era of presidential communication: Hayes was the first to install a telephone in the White House. The line sat in the mansion’s telegraph room, carried the simple number “1,” and initially connected only to the Treasury Department. That room disappeared in the 1902 Roosevelt renovation, with its communications role eventually absorbed into the West Wing and the secure facilities of today’s White House Communications Agency.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Harvard University graduate, U.S. Navy Veteran of WWII and Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences recipient, James Tobin, was born on March 5, 1918 in Champaign, Illinois.
Tobin promoted government intervention and monetary policies to help reduce the possibility of recession.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Dinner in honor of Commander Robert E. Peary, U.S.N., Hotel Astor, March 5, 1910.

Held during the height of public fascination with polar exploration, this New York banquet celebrated Peary’s claim of reaching the North Pole the previous year. The event drew naval officers, scientists, and civic leaders, all gathered in the Hotel Astor’s grand ballroom as Peary defended his achievement amid the ongoing controversy with Frederick Cook. Still an active naval officer, Peary was touring the country receiving honors and presenting his expedition’s findings, with this dinner marking one of the most prominent tributes of the season.

via LOC, no known restrictions

Air Officer Commander R.Y. McElroy lands the first aircraft, a Grumman TBF Avenger, aboard the the U.S. Navy escort carrier USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) at 1139 hrs, on March 5, 1944.

Acting as Landing Signal Officer was Captain Charles F. Greber.

via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

March 5, 1946 – at Fulton, Missouri’s Westminster College Winston Churchill speaks of the “iron curtain” of Soviet domination that had descended across Europe.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Landaff, Grafton County, New Hampshire. The Chandlers, father, mother, and son, and the school teacher who boards with them have a light supper without hot food. Dinner is at noon at which time, meat, potatoes, vegetables, bread, butter, relish, pies, and milk are served. Very little of the food eaten in this house comes out of cans.

March 5, 1941

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On March 5, 1927, General Motors introduced their LaSalle luxury car brand.
LaSalle autos were produced by GM’s Cadillac division.

The LaSalle car brand was discontinued in 1940.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Elisabeth Moore who won the women’s singles title at the U.S. National Championship four times (1896, 1901, 1903 & 1905), was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 5, 1876.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Born March 5, 1853 writer and artist Howard Pyle was famous for his illustrations of King Arthur’s knights, Robin Hood and his Merry Men, scenes from American history, and especially pirates. Costumes worn by Errol Flynn and Johnny Depp in pirate epics were inspired by Pyle’s pirate portraits.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.

American musician Patsy Cline passed away on the evening of March 5, 1963 when the plane she was traveling in crashed in Tennessee. She was 30 years old.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.

On March 5, 1963, Wham-O received a patent for the Hula Hoop.

Image from GeorgeLouis via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0