#Middlebury #History
On Feb. 13, 1861, the earliest military action to be revered with a Medal of Honor award is performed by Col. Bernard J.D. Irwin, an Army surgeon serving in the first major U.S.-Apache conflict. The Irish-born doctor volunteered to go to the rescue of 2nd Lt. George Bascom, who was trapped in Arizona with 60 soldiers by the Apaches.- On Feb. 14, 1886, the first trainload of oranges grown by southern California farmers leaves Los Angeles via the transcontinental railroad. Development of California surged when state railroad lines linked Los Angeles into the transcontinental railways.
- On Feb. 15, 1903, the first Teddy bear goes on sale. Toy-store owner and inventor Morris Michtom placed two stuffed bears in his shop window, advertising them as Teddy bears, named after President Theodore Roosevelt.
- On Feb. 16, 1923, in Thebes, Egypt, English archaeologist Howard Carter enters the sealed burial chamber of the ancient Egyptian ruler King Tutankhamen. The room was virtually intact, with its treasures untouched after more than 3,000 years.
- On Feb. 12, 1938, Judy Blume, popular young-adult author, is born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Blume’s books, which realistically address such topics as bullying, divorce, friendships and family, gained legions of young fans; however, their content frequently led them to be banned by school libraries.
- On Feb. 11, 1960, the Federal Communications Commission proposes a new law making it a criminal act to be involved in Payola – corrupt practices in the radio and music industries that involved manufacturing a hit by paying for it to be played on the air.
- On Feb. 17, 1996, world chess champion Garry Kasparov triumphs over Deep Blue, IBM’s chess-playing computer, to win their six-game match, 4-2. However, Deep Blue would defeat Kasparov in a heavily publicized rematch the following year.
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