History

1868: Memorial Day was observed widely for the first time in the U.S.

1879: William Vanderbilt renamed New York City’s Gilmore’s Garden to Madison Square Garden.

1896: The first automobile accident occurred in New York City.

1911: Ray Harroun won the first Indianapolis 500. At the time, it was known as International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race. Harroun’s average speed was 74.59 miles per hour.

1943: American forces secured the Aleutian island of Attu from the Japanese during the Second World War.