The world’s first electric traffic signal (above) was put into place
on the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland,
Ohio, on August 5, 1914.

In the earliest days of the automobile, navigating America’s roads
was a chaotic experience, with pedestrians, bicycles, horses and streetcars all competing with motor vehicles for right of way. The problem was alleviated somewhat with the gradual disappearance
of horse-drawn carriages, but even before World War I it had
become clear that a system of regulations was necessary to keep
traffic moving and reduce the number of accidents on the roads.

National Hot Dog Day was started by the North American Meat
Institute in 1991 and began being promoted and organized by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council after they were
created by the institute in 1994. The day coincides with the
Annual Hot Dog Lunch at Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.,
which is also sponsored by the North American Meat Institute.

The lunch, which has taken place for decades, is a large hot dog picnic
attended by lawmakers, administration officials, and Capitol Hill
staff.

Thanks to President Reagan, we celebrate National Ice Cream
Day every third Sunday in July, meaning July 18 this year. The
President wanted to commemorate a treat enjoyed by over 90
percent of the US population. In 1984, he decreed a day for ice
cream, and his proclamation actually glorified the dairy industry
in America. In fact, Americans still lead the world when it comes
to eating this frozen delight: 23 gallons a year to be precise.

Ron & Nancy Reagan enjoy ice cream cones in the Summer
of 1967.

Originally signed into law in 1952, National Day of Prayer is a day
when people of all faiths are asked to pray for our nation. Title 36, Section 119 of US law states: “The President shall issue each year
a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National
Day of Prayer.

National Freedom Day is a United States observance on February 1 honoring the signing by Abraham Lincoln of a joint House and
Senate resolution that later became the 13th Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution. President Lincoln signed the Amendment
outlawing slavery on February 1, 1865, although it was not
ratified by the states until later.