March 27, 1912: In Washington, D.C., Helen Taft, wife of President
William Taft, and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern
bank of the Potomac River, near the Jefferson Memorial.

The event was held in celebration of a gift, by the Japanese
government, of  3,020 cherry trees to the U.S. government.

The planting of Japanese cherry trees along the Potomac was
first proposed by socialite Eliza Scidmore, who raised money
for the endeavor. Helen

Taft had lived in Japan while her husband was president of the
Philippine Commission, and knowing the beauty of cherry
blossoms she embraced Scidmore’s idea. After learning of
the first lady’s interest, the Japanese consul in New York
suggested making a gift of the trees to the U.S. government
from the city of Tokyo.

1950

The Johnson Smith Company was a mail-order company
established in 1914 by Alfred Johnson Smith (1885-1948)
in Chicago, Illinois, USA that sold novelty and gag gift
items such as x-ray goggles, whoopee cushions, fake
vomit, and joy buzzers.

The company moved from Chicago to Racine, Wisconsin
in 1926, to Detroit in the 1930s, and from the Detroit area
to Bradenton, Florida in 1986.

In 2014, the company marked its 100th anniversary. On
December 31, 2019, the company’s website announced
that they had ceased operations and closed. Johnson
Smith was acquired by Collections Etc in 2020.

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)