On the virtual traveling front, I can’t seem to get excited about the offerings on my calendar. I need to work up some of my own locations. In the meantime….

Today in history:

• 1900 – Hawaii became a territory of the United States.

• 1900 – Casey Jones died in a train wreck in Vaughn, Mississippi, while trying to make up time on the Cannonball Express. Yes, boys and girls, Casey Jones was a real person, not just somebody in a song.

• 1904 – The Louisiana Purchase Exposition World’s Fair opened in St. Louis, Missouri. This is the world’s fair in the movie Meet Me In St Louis. Now I have that song stuck in my head.

• 1925 – Automaker Dodge Brothers, Inc was sold to investment bankers Dillon, Read & Company for $146 million plus $50 million for charity. You wouldn’t see any company being sold today for a donation to charity!

• 1927 – The Federal Industrial Institute for Women opened in Alderson, West Virginia. It was the first women’s federal prison in the United States.

• 1927 – Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford became the first celebrities to leave their footprints in concrete at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. A tradition that continues to this day.

• 1938 – The animated cartoon short Porky’s Hare Hunt debuted in movie theaters. It introduced a prototype of Bugs Bunny, named Happy Rabbit.

• 1939 – The 1939-40 New York World’s Fair opened.

• 1939 – NBC inaugurated its regularly scheduled television service in New York City by broadcasting President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s N.Y. World’s Fair opening day ceremonial address. Yes, television in 1939!

On TV tonight: Eureka, Castle, and Hawaii Five-O

Reading: I’m still reading the Lord Peter Wimsey books. I’m now to Thrones, Dominations by Dorothy L. Sayers & Jill Paton Walsh.

• Chain of Rocks Bridge

• Soulsby Service Station

• Indian Harvest Trading Post

• The Blue Whale

• Cadillac Ranch

• Wigwam Village

Today in history:

• 1906 – An earthquake and fire destroyed a good portion of San Francisco, California.

• 1912 – The Cunard liner RMS Carpathia delivered 705 survivors from the RMS Titanic to New York City.

• 1923 – Yankee Stadium opened for the first time.

• 1924 – Simon & Schuster published the first crossword puzzle book.

• 1930 – BBC Radio announced there was no news on that day. Shouldn’t they have done that the other day when that scientist said it was the dullest day in history?

On TV tonight: Just Ghost Hunters.

Reading: Now I’m re-reading Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers.

• Tintern Abbey was founded in 1131 in Wales. The architecture of the ruins spans 400 years.

• Woburn Abbey is now the country house of the Duke of Bedford and the home of the Woburn Safari Park. The abbey itself was founded in 1145. It became the seat of the Dukes of Bedford in 1547.

• Combermere Abbey is a former monastery in Cheshire, England. No word if the cats in Cheshire actually grin. The abbey was given to Sir George Cotton in 1538. His family retained it until 1919. It is now run as an organic dairy farm.

• Buckland Abbey was founded in 1278. In 1541, Henry VIII sold Buckland to Sir Richard Grenville who, along with his son, converted it into a house. The house is now a museum run by the National Trust.

• Fountains Abbey was founded in 1132. It’s one of the largest monasteries in England. And also one of the best-preserved. Yes, I know it’s in ruins but they’re really spectacular ruins!

Today in history:

• 1881 – In Dodge City, Kansas, Bat Masterson fought his last gun battle. No, he wasn’t killed in it. He didn’t die until 1921.

• 1889 – Silent film legend Charlie Chaplin was born. I don’t think he needs any further introduction. `

• 1907 – Canadian inventor Joseph-Armand Bombadier was born. Why am I including him, you ask? He invented the snowmobile!

• 1908 – Natural Bridges National Monument was established in Utah. We should visit there sometime!

• 1912 – Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly an airplane across the English Channel.

• 1915 – Actress Joan Alexander was born. She’s best remembered as Lois Lane on the radio version of The Adventures of Superman.

• 1817 – Actor Barry Nelson was born. Little known fact to most people, he was the first actor, and only American, to portray James Bond. He played Bond in a 1954 TV adaptation of Casino Royale.

On TV tonight: the return of Eureka!!!!! (Too bad it’s their final season.) We also have a new episode of Castle.

Reading: Currently re-reading Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers.

Today in history:

• 1954 – Computer programmer William Tunstall-Pedoe calculated this day to be the most objectively dull day since 1900. I only included this because it made me laugh. He might change his mind if he’d shared some of my days.

On TV tonight: Ghost Hunters and Top Guns

Reading: Now re-reading The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers

Today in history:

• 1898 – Actor/singer Paul Robeson was born.

• 1901 – Actor Paul Willis was born. He was one of the best known child actors of the silent era.

• 1903 – Actor Ward Bond was born. He’s probably best remembered for his role in the TV series Wagon Train.

• 1939 – Opera singer Marian Anderson sang at the Lincoln Memorial, after she was denied the right to sing at the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Constitution Hall. For the sin of being black. Not the DAR’s finest moment.

On TV tonight: Hawaii Five-O and a Titanic special on NatGeo

Reading: I’m currently re-reading Unnatural Death by Dorothy L Sayers which is the third Lord Peter Wimsey book.

Today in history:

• 1910 – Henri Fabre became the first person to fly a seaplane.

• 1920 – Actress Mary Pickford married actor Douglas Fairbanks. She’d been divorced from her first husband just three weeks before.

On TV tonight: Ghost Hunters International, Psych, and Top Guns

Reading: Back to reading children’s mysteries.

Today in history:

• 1895 – Auguste and Louis Lumière filmed their first footage using their newly patented cinematograph.

• 1909 – Actor Louis Hayward was born. He’s probably best known for playing Simon Templar in one of the many Saint movies. His third wife was actress Ida Lupino.

• 1918 – The U.S. Congress established time zones and approved daylight saving time. Boo!!! Hiss!!! Especially that latter one!

• 1931 – Gambling was legalized in Nevada. Bring on the mob!

• 1954 – Joey Giardello knocked out Willie Tory in round seven at Madison Square Garden in the first televised prize boxing fight shown in color.

• 1954 – Willie Mosconi set a world record by running 526 consecutive balls without a miss during a straight pool exhibition at East High Billiard Club in Springfield, Ohio. The record still stands today.

On TV tonight: Alcatraz, Hawaii Five-O, and Castle.

Reading: Over the weekend I read Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay which I really enjoyed, Murder Buys a T-Shirt by Christy Fifield which was also really good, and now I’m reading Little Shop of Homicide by Denise Swanson.

Today in history:

• 1906 – Rolls-Royce Limited was incorporated.

• 1916 – President Woodrow Wilson sent 5000 United States troops over the U.S.-Mexico border to pursue Pancho Villa. That went well.

• 1956 – My Fair Lady premiered on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre.

On TV tonight; absolutely nothing

Reading: Still reading children’s mysteries.

Today in history:

• 1930 – The news of the discovery of Pluto was telegraphed to the Harvard College Observatory.

• 1938 – World News Roundup was broadcast for the first time on CBS Radio in the United States.

On TV tonight: just Top Shot. Everything else is reruns.

Reading: Still reading Judy Bolton books. I love them!!!

Today in history:

• 1912 – The Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) were founded by Juliette Gordon Low.

On TV tonight: Alcatraz

Reading: Still reading children’s mysteries.