What Happened in 1879

Arthur James Caley, aka 'The Middlebush Giant' Begins Performing at Barnum's American Museum

Arthur James Caley or Routh Goshen (May 5, 1837 - February 12, 1889) was most commonly known as Colonel Routh Goshen, but this was a stage name... Read more

Woodward and Evans Sell Light Patent to Edison

In North America, parallel developments were taking place. On July 24, 1874 a Canadian patent was filed by a Toronto medical electrician named... Read more

Woodrow Wilson attends University of Virginia

In 1879, Wilson attended law school at University of Virginia for one year. Although he never graduated, during his time at the University he was... Read more

Albert Einstein is born

Albert Einstein was born in 1879 in Ulm, Germany. He was the first child born to Hermann and Pauline Einstein. Though he attended school as a young... Read more

Jesse And Frank James Rob A Train In Glendale, Missouri

Later in 1876, Jesse and Frank James surfaced in the Nashville, Tennessee area, where they went by the names of Thomas Howard and B. J. Woodson,... Read more

Edison Improves Carbon Filament Lamp

Thomas Edison began serious research into developing a practical incandescent lamp in 1878. Edison filed his first patent application for... Read more

Louisiana Ratifies A New State Constitution

Citizens of Louisiana ratified a new state constitution on December 8, 1879. Simultaneously, the state capital was moved from New Orleans to Baton... Read more

Laura Hope Crews Is Born

Laura Hope Crews (San Francisco, December 12, 1879—November 12, 1942 in New York City) was a character actress of movies and stage. The daughter of... Read more

Tay Bridge Disaster

At approximately 7:15 p.m. on the stormy night of 28 December 1879, the central navigation spans of the Tay bridge collapsed into the Firth of Tay... Read more