What Happened in 1872

A. N. Lodygin Patents an Incandescent Light Bulb with Tungsten Filaments

In 1872 A. N. Lodygin invented an incandescent light bulb. In 1874 he obtained a patent for his invention. Read more

William "Buffalo Bill" Cody receives Medal of Honor

Cody received a Medal of Honor in 1872 for "gallantry in action" while serving as a civilian scout for the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. In 1917, the... Read more

Mark Twain Publishes "Roughing It"

Roughing It is a book of semi-autobiographical travel literature written by American humorist Mark Twain. It was written during 1870–71 and... Read more

John Arthur Jarvis Is Born

John Arthur Jarvis (24 February 1872 – 9 May 1933) was a British swimmer who competed in the late 19th century and early 20th century. He... Read more

Piet Mondrian is Born

Pieter Cornelis Mondrian was born on March 7th 1872 in Amersvoort in central Holland and lived there for the first eight years of his life. He was... Read more

Lone Pine Earthquake

The Great Lone Pine earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes to hit California in recorded history. The quake struck on March 26, 1872 and its... Read more

First Arbor Day

Nebraskans planted more than one million trees on April 10, 1872, in celebration of the first Arbor Day. The occasion fulfilled the dream of J.... Read more

Victoria Woodhull Becomes the First Woman to Run for President

Victoria Claflin Woodhull (September 23, 1838 – June 9, 1927) was an American suffragist who was described by Gilded Age newspapers as a leader of... Read more

Paul Laurence Dunbar Is Born

Paul Laurence Dunbar was born on June 27, 1872, in Dayton, Ohio. Although he died when he was only thirty-three, Dunbar had achieved international... Read more

Calvin Coolidge is Born

John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was born in Plymouth Notch, Windsor County, Vermont, on July 4, 1872, the only U.S. President to be born on the Fourth of... Read more

Buffalo Bill Makes Stage Debut in 'The Scouts of the Prairie'

In December 1872 Cody traveled to Chicago to make his stage debut with friend Texas Jack Omohundro in The Scouts of the Prairie, one of the... Read more