Photo by A.J. Russell of the celebration following the driving
of the "Last Spike" at Promontory Summit, Utah.

On May 10, 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central
Pacific railroads met in Promontory, Utah, and drive a ceremonial
last spike into a rail line that connects their railroads. This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S.
history. No longer would western-bound travelers need to take
the long and dangerous journey by wagon train.

The Mayflower sails from Plymouth, England, bound for the New World with
102 passengers. The ship was headed for Virginia, where the colonists–half religious dissenters and half entrepreneurs–had been authorized to settle by
the British crown. However, stormy weather and navigational errors forced
the Mayflower off course, and on November 21 the “Pilgrims” reached Massachusetts, where they built the first permanent European settlement
in New England in late December.

Depiction of the signing of a document that today is called the
Mayflower Compact. It was signed by 41 of the Pilgrim men and
John Carver was elected as the first governor of the colony.

John Carver (before 1584–1621)

New York (AP) – John Lennon’s iconic round glasses and shaggy 1970s mane
will now adorn a U.S. stamp.

Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, and their son, Sean Lennon, were in New York
City’s Central Park Friday to celebrate the U.S. Postal Service’s release of
a stamp honoring the late Beatle. Hundreds of Beatles fans gathered for the
event. The former Beatle was assassinated on December 8, 1980.  

Yoko Ono and son Sean Lennon at the unveiling of the
John Lennon stamp.