Good morning, Whitewater.

Friday in town will be mostly sunny with a high of eighty-two. Sunrise is 5:17 AM and sunset 8:28 PM, for 15h 11m 25s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 4.1% of its visible disk illuminated.

Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind arrives on this day in 1936:

In 1926, Mitchell was forced to quit her job as a reporter at the Atlanta Journal to recover from a series of physical injuries. With too much time on her hands, Mitchell soon grew restless. Working on a Remington typewriter, a gift from her second husband, John R. Marsh, in their cramped one-bedroom apartment, Mitchell began telling the story of an Atlanta belle named Pansy O’Hara.

In tracing Pansy’s tumultuous life from the antebellum South through the Civil War and into the Reconstruction era, Mitchell drew on the tales she had heard from her parents and other relatives, as well as from Confederate war veterans she had met as a young girl. While she was extremely secretive about her work, Mitchell eventually gave the manuscript to Harold Latham, an editor from New York’s MacMillan Publishing. Latham encouraged Mitchell to complete the novel, with one important change: the heroine’s name. Mitchell agreed to change it to Scarlett, now one of the most memorable names in the history of literature.

Published in 1936, Gone with the Wind caused a sensation in Atlanta and went on to sell millions of copies in the United States and throughout the world. While the book drew some criticism for its romanticized view of the Old South and its slaveholding elite, its epic tale of war, passion and loss captivated readers far and wide. By the time Mitchell won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937, a movie project was already in the works. The film was produced by Hollywood giant David O. Selznick, who paid Mitchell a record-high $50,000 for the film rights to her book.

On this day in 1965, the first American spacewalk takes place as Edward White leaves his Gemini capsule. The New York Times reported the event the next day:

Cape Kennedy, Friday, June 4–For 20 minutes yesterday afternoon Maj. Edward H. White 2d of the Air Force was a human satellite of the earth as he floated across North America from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

Tethered to the Gemini 4 spacecraft, he chatted good-humoredly and snapped pictures as he darted about in raw space with a the aid of a gas-firing jet gun. Asked how he was doing by Maj. James A. McDivitt of the Air Force, the spaceship commander, Major White replied to his partner in the capsule:

“I’m doing great. This is fun.”

When he was told to re-enter the capsule, Major White laughed and said: “I’m not coming in.” But later, after more banter, he followed through on orders to return.

A Google a Day asks about a cartoon: “What comedians were the inspiration for the names of the two hungry cats in the short that marked Tweety Bird’s first appearance?”

Good morning, Whitewater.

Thursday in town will be sunny with a high of seventy-seven. Sunrise is 5:17 AM and sunset 8:28 PM, for 15h 10m 20s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 10.3% of its visible disk illuminated.

Whitewater’s Landmarks Commission meets tonight at 6 PM.

On 6.2.1886,

President Grover Cleveland becomes the first sitting president to marry in the White House on this day in 1886.

Cleveland entered the White House as a bachelor and left a married man and father of two. His new wife was a beautiful young woman 27 years his junior named Frances Folsom. Frances was the daughter of a former law partner and Cleveland’s legal ward; Cleveland had literally known her since she was born. When she was 11, Frances’ father died and Cleveland became her legal guardian, remaining close friends with her mother. His pet name for Frances was Frank. Observers thought Cleveland would marry his friend’s widow and were completely surprised when, instead, he married Frances as soon as she turned 21.

In another White House first, Frances and Cleveland’s second daughter Esther became the first child born to a president in a White House bedroom.

On this day in 1981, the video arcade game Donkey Kong makes its debut in America.

Good morning, Whitewater.

The first day of a new month brings to town morning thundershowers but thereafter gradual clearing and a high of eighty-two.  Sunrise is 5:18 AM and sunset 8:27 PM, for 15h 09m 10s of daytime.  The moon is a waning crescent with 18.8% of its visible disk illuminated.

Whitewater’s Parks & Recreation Board meets today at 5:30 PM.

On this day in 1779, a court martial (about charges before later treason) of Benedict Arnold begins (only to conclude months after beginning):

The court martial to consider the charges against Arnold began meeting on June 1, 1779, but was delayed until December 1779 by General Clinton’s capture of Stony Point, New York, throwing the army into a flurry of activity to react.^[67] A number of members of the panel of judges were ill-disposed to Arnold over actions and disputes earlier in the war, yet Arnold was cleared of all but two minor charges on January 26, 1780.^[68] Arnold worked over the next few months to publicize this fact; however, in early April, just one week after Washington congratulated Arnold on the March 19 birth of his son, Edward Shippen Arnold, Washington published a formal rebuke of Arnold’s behavior.^[69]

The Commander-in-Chief would have been much happier in an occasion of bestowing commendations on an officer who had rendered such distinguished services to his country as Major General Arnold; but in the present case, a sense of duty and a regard to candor oblige him to declare that he considers his conduct [in the convicted actions] as imprudent and improper.

— Notice published by George Washington, April 6, 1780^[70]

On June 1, 1980, television news in America moves to cable:

…CNN (Cable News Network), the world’s first 24-hour television news network, makes its debut. The network signed on at 6 p.m. EST from its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, with a lead story about the attempted assassination of civil rights leader Vernon Jordan. CNN went on to change the notion that news could only be reported at fixed times throughout the day. At the time of CNN’s launch, TV news was dominated by three major networks–ABC, CBS and NBC–and their nightly 30-minute broadcasts. Initially available in less than two million U.S. homes, today CNN is seen in more than 89 million American households and over 160 million homes internationally….

Here’s a recording of CNN’s first hour from that first day:

Good morning, Whitewater.

Our month ends with scattered thunderstorms and a high of eighty-two.  Sunrise is 5:18 AM and sunset 8:26 PM, for 15h 07m 57s of daytime.  The moon is a waning crescent with 28.7% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1859, the clock on Elizabeth Tower (the tower named as such in 2012) goes into operation:

The name Big Ben is often used to describe the tower, the clock and the bell but the name was first given to the Great Bell.

The Elizabeth Tower, which stands at the north end of the Houses of Parliament, was completed in 1859 and the Great Clock started on 31 May, with the Great Bell’s strikes heard for the first time on 11 July and the quarter bells first chimed on 7 September….

Until installation in 1859, the clock was kept at Dent’s factory. Denison made many refinements including inventing the ‘Double Three-legged Gravity Escapement’. This was a revolutionary mechanism, ensuring the clock’s accuracy by making sure its pendulum was unaffected by external factors, such as wind pressure on the clock’s hands.

Denison’s invention has since been used in clocks all over the world. It is also known as the ‘Grimthorpe Escapement’ as Denison was made Baron Grimthorpe in 1886.

The clock was installed in the Clock Tower in April 1859. At first, it wouldn’t work as the cast-iron minute hands were too heavy. Once they were replaced by lighter copper hands, it successfully began keeping time on 31 May 1859. It was not long before the chimes of the Great Bell, also known as Big Ben, joined in.

On this day in the last year of the nineteenth century, a Bible society is founded after a meeting in Beaver Dam:

1899 – The Gideons International Founded
On this night two salesmen, John H. Nicholson and Samuel E. Hill, crossed paths a second time, in Beaver Dam. The pair had first met eight months before in the Central Hotel in Boscobel and discussed the need for some way to provide Christian support to traveling businessmen. During this second meeting in Beaver Dam the two decided to “get right at it. Start the ball rolling and follow it up.” They invited their professional contacts to an organizational meeting to be held in Janesville on July 1, 1899, at which the organization was formally named and chartered. By 1948, The Gideons had distributed over 15 million bibles world-wide. View more information about the founding of the Gideons elsewhere at wisconsinhistory.org [Source: Wisconsin Local History & Biography Articles]

A Google a Day asks a science question: “If the Saffir-Simpson Scale had existed at the time, the storm described in Erik Larson’s 1999 book would have been rated as what?”

Good morning, Whitewater.

Memorial Day in town will be sunny with a high of eighty-four. Sunrise is 5:19 AM and sunset 8:25 PM, for 15h 06m 40s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 39.3% of its visible disk illuminated.

Whitewater’s Memorial Day parade begins at 10:30 AM, traveling from the corner of Main and Fremont Streets to American Legion Post 173 at 272 Wisconsin Street.

On this day in 1911, the first Indianapolis 500 takes place.

On this day in 1971, Mariner 9 leaves for Mars:

Mariner 9 (Mariner Mars ’71 / Mariner-I) was an unmanned NASA space probe that contributed greatly to the exploration of Mars and was part of the Mariner program. Mariner 9 was launched toward Mars on May 30, 1971^[1][2] from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and reached the planet on November 14 of the same year,^[1][2] becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet^[3] — only narrowly beating the Soviets’ Mars 2 and Mars 3, which both arrived within a month. After months of dust storms it managed to send back clear pictures of the surface.

Mariner 9 returned 7329 images over the course of its mission, which concluded in October 1972.

Good morning, Whitewater.

Sunday in town will be partly sunny with a high of seventy-nine.  Sunrise is 5:19 AM and sunset 8:25 PM, for 15h 05m 21s of daytime.  The moon is in its third quarter, with 50.2% of its visible disk illuminated.

Friday’s FW poll asked about weekend grilling choices (with multiple selections possible).  Respondents picked beef most often, followed with chicken selected about half as often.

On this day in 1953, two explorers reach the top of the world:

At 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal, become the first explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest, which at 29,035 feet above sea level is the highest point on earth. The two, part of a British expedition, made their final assault on the summit after spending a fitful night at 27,900 feet. News of their achievement broke around the world on June 2, the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, and Britons hailed it as a good omen for their country’s future.

On this day in 1848, Wisconsin becomes America’s 30th state:

1848 – Wisconsin Enters the Union
On this date Wisconsin became the 30th state to enter the Union with an area of 56,154 square miles, comprising 1/56 of the United States at the time. Its nickname, the “Badger State,” was not in reference to the fierce animal but miners who spent their winters in the state, living in dugouts and burrowing much like a badger. [Source: “B” Book I, Beer Bottles, Brawls, Boards, Brothels, Bibles, Battles & Brownstone by Tony Woiak, pg. 37]

Good morning, Whitewater.

Saturday will be cloudy with scattered thunderstorms and a high of eighty-one. Sunrise is 5:20 PM and sunset 8:24 PM, for 15h 03m 57s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 61.1% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1754, Lt. Col. George Washington finds himself at the beginning of the Seven Years’ War:

…a 22-year-old lieutenant colonel of the Virginia militia named George Washington successfully defeats a party of French and Indian scouts in southwest Pennsylvania as Virginia attempts to lay claim to the territory for its own settlers. The action snowballed into a world war and began the military career of the first American commander in chief.

The Ohio Valley had long been a contested territory among French Canadians, various Indian groups and the British colonies of Pennsylvania and Virginia. When the French began to establish fortifications along the river and refused Virginia’s written demand that they depart, Virginia’s governor, Robert Dinwiddie, dispatched Washington to complete and defend a Virginian fort at the forks of the Ohio.

Upon their arrival, Washington discovered that a scouting party led by the French ensign, Joseph Coulon de Jumonville was nearby. Fearing that Jumonville was planning an attack, Washington struck first, successfully ambushing the small party. In one of history’s murkier moments, Jumonville was murdered by Washington’s Indian ally, Tanaghrisson, while the monolingual Washington struggled to interrogate the French-speaking Canadian….

Good morning, Whitewater.

Friday in town will see scattered thunderstorms and a high of seventy-seven. Sunrise is 5:20 AM and sunset 8:23 PM, for 15h 02m 30s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 71.7% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1703, Peter the Great founds St. Petersburg:

After winning access to the Baltic Sea through his victories in the Great Northern War, Czar Peter I founds the city of St. Petersburg as the new Russian capital.

The reign of Peter, who became sole czar in 1696, was characterized by a series of sweeping military, political, economic, and cultural reforms based on Western European models. Peter the Great, as he became known, led his country into major conflicts with Persia, the Ottoman Empire, and Sweden. Russian victories in these wars greatly expanded Peter’s empire, and the defeat of Sweden won Russia direct access to the Baltic Sea, a lifelong obsession of the Russian leader. With the founding of St. Petersburg, Russia was now a major European power–politically, culturally, and geographically. In 1721, Peter abandoned the traditional Russian title of czar in favor of the European-influenced title of emperor. Four years later, he died and was succeeded by his wife, Catherine.

On 5.27.13, explorers Marquette & Joliet reach Green Bay:

Towards the end of May, 1673, the two explorers reached the site of modern Green Bay. “Embarking then in our canoes,” Marquette wrote in his journal, “we arrived shortly afterward at the bottom of the Bay des Puants, where our Fathers labor successfully for the conversion of these peoples, over two thousand of whom they have baptized while they have been there.” Read what they encountered there, as well as what the old French name “Puants” means, in our [Wisconsin Historical Society] pages devoted to Historic Diaries.

A Google a Day asks a history question: “What Frankish ruler is associated with the Carolingian Renaissance?”

Good morning, Whitewater.

Thursday will bring scattered thunderstorms and a high of eighty-six to Whitewater. Sunrise is 5:21 AM and sunset 8:22 PM, for 15h 01m 01s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 80.5% of its visible disk illuminated.

Whitewater’s Seed Capital Screening Committee meets at 3:30 PM, and the Community Development Authority Board at 5 PM.

On this day in 1927, a production run (1908-1927) at Ford Motor Company ends:

…Henry Ford and his son Edsel drive the 15 millionth Model T Ford out of their factory, marking the famous automobile’s official last day of production.

More than any other vehicle, the relatively affordable and efficient Model T was responsible for accelerating the automobile’s introduction into American society during the first quarter of the 20th century. Introduced in October 1908, the Model T—also known as the “Tin Lizzie”—weighed some 1,200 pounds, with a 20-horsepower, four-cylinder engine. It got about 13 to 21 miles per gallon of gasoline and could travel up to 45 mph. Initially selling for around $850 (around $20,000 in today’s dollars), the Model T would later sell for as little as $260 (around $6,000 today) for the basic no-extras model.

A Google a Day asks a question about architecture: “What is the most famous design in Rome by the architect credited with introducing High Renaissance style to the city?”