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1855 - Joshua Stoddard patented the calliope. It was originally intended to replace the bells in church towers but it found its way onto river boats. It is not a very elegant instrument because it has 44 notes or less and there is no volume control. It plays every note LOUD. But there is a charm to the calliope on a carousel. The last carousel that I rode on that had a real steam calliope was in Dorney Park, just South of Allentown, PA. The electronic versions are just not the same.

1936 - Hoover Dam begins transmitting electricity to LA I often wonder if a project like the Hoover Dam could ever be done again. With all of the regulations, it would take longer to get required approvals than to complete the work. Somewhere between 96 and 112 workers died during its construction. I suspect that OSHA would have had a fit.