MAY 26 — 1781 Robert Morris charters Bank of North America; 1927 Last Model T drives off lot; 1969 Kinetic Sculpture Race begins in Humboldt, CA; 1926 Happy Birthday Miles Davis
MAY 26
1927 – Goodbye Tin Lizzy.
Henry Ford and his son Edsel drive the 15 millionth Model T Ford out of their factory in Highland Park MI, marking the famous automobile’s official last day of production. The first affordable car, the Model T opened travel to the common middle-class American thanks to Ford’s assembly line production versus the traditional hand crafting methods. It was actually named the most influential car in the 1999 car of the century competition, beating out BMC M ini, Citroen DS and Volkswagen Type 1.
Being the great American that he is, Henry Ford said about the model T, “I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that o man making a good salary will be unable to own one – and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces.”
Now car guys, before you start arguing about the Oldsmobile Curved Dash being the first mass-produced car in 1901, remember that the tremendous advancements in the efficiency if the system over the life of the Model T can be credited almost entirely to the vision of Henry Ford and his crew of engineers,
Like a boss!
1781 – Bank of North America is chartered under Robert Morris.
…During the American Revolution, the Continental currency was failing and soldiers trying to fight the war weren’t getting paid. The British had also waged economic warfare by pumping in artificial money which devalued all currency to the point of its only decent use being wallpaper. There was no gold and silver to trade since the only mines were way out west and wouldn’t be discovered for another 60 years, so that didn’t help things. Robert Morris, originally from Liverpool England, moved to the colonies as a young lad, became a successful merchant, served under various chairs and assembly’s and eventually became congressional superintendent of finances. He had a solution to this crumbling economy and chartered, check out THIS title, the President, Directors and Company of the Bank of North America on this day 1781, or BNA for short.
Through BNA he secured $450,000 from the French, and loaned it to Congress and the war was now funded. But when Congress couldn’t pay back, Morris sold the government’s shares to repay BNA, which then re-lent the money back to Congress. That’s basically how soldiers finally started getting food and supplies from 1781-1783. In fact the Bank of North America, America’s first major private bank, would also fund Congress through the War of 1812 and the Civil War. It became part of the Federal Reserve in 1914, and as far as I know last owned by Wells Fargo since 2008. One of Robert Morris’s protégés Alexander Hamilton would work on a Central Bank a few years later in 1791.
As far as Morris went, he was accused of being a Loyalist at heart and was criticized for dragging his feet when it came to signing the Declaration of Independence. He became Agent of Marine as the war started winding down, helping to organize a French fleet in the Chesapeake to block a British retreat. In addition to the Declaration of Independence, he signed the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. By the way Roger Sherman of Connecticut is the only other member besides Morris to sign all three. He declined President Washington’s offer for the head of the Treasury, recommending his friend Alexander Hamilton. He moved on to buy up land, a steam engine company, a glass factory, the first rolling iron mill in this country, oh and did I say land.
He aligned himself with the Hamiltonians and the Federalists, but he lost his land investments during the Panic of 1796-1797, had to spend some time in debtors prison, after that lived quietly with his wife until he died in1806.
1907 – Happy birthday Marion Mitchell Morrison.
..Who the hells’ that? Oh my bad, you might know him better by his Hollywood name, John Wayne. He lit up the box office for three decades.
John Wayne was born in Winterset, Iowa and moved with his family to LA when he was 9. He graduated from Glendale High School and sought after a football scholarship at USC but injured himself while bodysurfing. That’s LA for ya. So, he got into acting. He was married three times and divorced twice, once nearly getting shot one night as he was accused of having an affair with another actress.
In the 1940’s, his hair began thinning and started wearing a piece, except for then he attended Gary Cooper’s funeral. He was a boozer and wanted the set to wrap up by noon so he could start drinking, and was a chain smoker who miraculously fought cancer by getting his entire left lung and four ribs removed.
Wayne was also a conservative Republican and extremely anti-communist.
1926 – Happy birthday Miles Davis.
…Great jazz musician, trumpeter bandleader and composer, Miles Davis is widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He was a powerful influence in different types of jazz, including bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz and jazz fusion.
In 2006 Davis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and on December 15, 2009, the US House of Representatives passed a symbolic resolution recognizing and commemorating the album Kind of Blue of its 50th anniversary; honoring the masterpiece and reaffirming jazz as a national treasure.
1969 – The Kinetic Sculpture Race begins in Humboldt County, CA.
This cross country extravaganza takes place every Memorial Day weekend as racers are challenged by all sorts of terrain to get to the finish line. What are the vehicles they’re using to race you ask? Art! Don’t over think okay, that’s why I think it’s kinetic. When I say art, according to their website, that means the vehicles used animated faces, fire cannons and other unusual driving mechanisms. To participate you can either be a pilot, pit crew member, or peon. These terms are fairly self-explanatory? The pit crew has to prepare the vehicle for the next terrain it crosses, be it water, concrete or miles of sand dunes. The peon does all the work a peon would normally do, which is everything else.
It started out with metal sculptor Hobart Brown back in the day. Like I don’t know what else people did in Humboldt County in 1969 besides smoke grass, but I’m not judging. Last time I thought I was perfect I tried walking on water and turned out I needed a snorkel. So no, I don’t judge. But this all started when Hobart wanted to add extra wheels on to his son’s tricycle. Yah-hahahaha cool bro! Like, rad. Then he put ornaments on the tricycle and it looked gnarly. His buddy Jack challenged him to a race, and next thing he knew, several other stoners, I mean, buddies joined in. Hobart wouldn’t actually win the race; I’m guessing he got distracted by an ice scream shop on the way. Instead, someone named Bob Brown won the race, using a sculpture that resembled a smoking turtle that laid eggs.
Seriously not making this up, I’m not that creative. In those days, the race was a mere two blocks long around the tiny city. Now it’s three days, and looks like a lot of fun. Smoke if you got ‘me, I guess, if that’s what you’re into. Yahahahahahahahhahahaha whoa.
1994—Happy anniversary Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley.
… They first met in 1975 but didn’t become friends until 1992.This happened around the time Michael first started getting accused of child molestation, and he leaned on her for emotional support. They got married in the Dominican Republic and managed to keep it a secret for almost two months!
At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson’s public image, but Lisa said in an interview that they were both sexually active with each other. The marriage lasted less than two years and ended with an amicable divorce settlement.