Almanac Tidbits

In 1934 on this day, the first laundromat opened in America. J.F. Cantrell opened the Washateria in Fort Worth, Texas with four electric washing machines. He charged by the hour for use of his machines.
In 1923 on this day, Yankee Stadium opened in New York City. Opening day, it was Yankees versus the Boston Red Sox. The official count was seventy-four thousand, two hundred fans who packed the stands before the fire department ordered the gates closed. The Yankees won the game that day, capped by a three-run homer by Babe Ruth himself.
In 1906 on this day, there was a great earthquake in San Francisco that killed five hundred people and destroyed three thousand acres in the heart of the city.
In 1775 on this day, Paul Revere took the famous ride that was immortalized in poetry by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (books by this author). At the time, the British regulars wanted to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams (who were in Lexington) and made what they thought were secret plans to capture the two men. Their plans were discovered, however, and Revere had made arrangements to signal the patriots by lighting two lanterns in Boston's North Church steeple if the British were coming by sea, and one if they were coming by land. Revere rode out on the night of April 18th to warn Hancock and Adams that the British were on their way.