• For information about the Feast of St. Basil, see: www.theologic.com/oflweb/feasts/01-01.htm

• New Year (Shogatsu) is the most important holiday in Japan. It lasts from January 1 to January 3. Most Japanese do not work during these days. Source:  www.japan-guide.com/e/e2064.html

• www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org

• New Year’s On-Line Greeting Cards: www.happy-newyear.com

• Georgia became the 4th US state on January 2, 1788

• Celebrated to honor the science fiction pioneer, Isaac Asimov, who was born in January 2, 1920.  Source: www35.123greetings.com/events/science_fiction_day

• The Alaskan Territory becomes the 49th US state on January 3, 1959.

• Source:  www.candyusa.org/Classroom/calendar.asp

• Source: www35.123greetings.com/events/festival_of_sleep/

• Bio & Death Announcement on CNN.com - Click Here
• Jean Dixon Museum: www.waysideofva.com/jdml

• “Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was the first saint who was born in the United States of America. She was beatified in 1963 and declared a saint in 1975. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s feast day is January 4. She is a patron saint of children near death and persons rejected for their Catholic faith.”

• Source: www35.123greetings.com/events/spaghetti_day

• Source:  www.candyusa.org/Classroom/calendar.asp

• The first balloon flight in America was launched in Philadelphia on January 9, 1793.  Source: History of Balloon Flight By Anna Macek: http://solospirit.wustl.edu/SoloSpirit2/education/Ballooning/history.htm

• Connecticut became the fifth US state on January 9, 1788

• Send an online greeting card!
  www35.123greetings.com/events/step_fathers_day
• See a great article about stepfathers:  Bobber’s Day - A step-dad makes every day Father’s Day. By Beth Quinn www.beliefnet.com/story/80/story_8088_1.html

• Anniversary of the first time Wendy’s Restaurant’s commercial aired in 1984 with Clara Peller asking “Where’s The Beef?”  For information and video with Wendy’s Commercial: ”Fluffy Bun ” (aka ”Where’s the Beef?”) see: www.ifilm.com/filmdetail?ifilmid=2423864

• Start of Amelia Earhart’s two-day solo flight across the Pacific, 1935

• In observance of John Hancock’s Birthday, January 12, 1737. For biography, see USHistory.org Web site:  www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/hancock.htm

• Commemorates the birthdays of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson (Stonewall Jackson was born January 21, 1824.)

• For online greeting cards, see: www35.123greetings.com/events/secret_pal_day

• For biography, see USHistory.org Web page: Click Here.

• Stephen Foster, born July 4, 1826 (American songwriter of about 200 songs including “Oh! Susannah”, “Camptown Races”, “Beautiful Dreamer”
  • Stephen Foster Memorial located at the University of Pittsburgh.  See Online Highways Web site: www.ohwy.com/pa/s/stefosme.htm
  • “The President may issue each year a proclamation designating January 13 as Stephen Foster Memorial Day.”  Source: Find Law for Legal Professionals Web site: Click Here

• Observed the second Monday in January - For some great hints, see: www.onlineorganizing.com/CalendarHoliday.asp?holiday=4

Benedict Arnold - Revolutionary War Major General was born on January 14, 1741 in Norwich, CT. He died in London, England on June 14, 1801. Web site: www.benedictarnold.org

Olivia Goldsmith (Writer), died January 15, 2004 at the age of 54 from a heart attack that she suffered while undergoing cosmetic surgery on January 7, 2003.  Her first novel “The First Wives Club” came out in 1992 was made in to the movie in 1996.  Some of her other novels were “Bad Boy,” “The Bestseller,” “Flavor of the Month,” “Marrying Mom”, “Pen Pals”, “Switcheroo” and “Young Wives.”  A new novel, “Dumping Billy,” is scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2004.  See stories: Click Here and her New York Times Obituary: Click Here.

• “Each year on January 16, we celebrate Religious Freedom Day in commemoration of the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom by the Virginia General Assembly, which occurred on this day in 1786. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, this historic law provided the inspiration and the framework for the religious freedom clauses in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”  Source:  Religious Freedom Day, 2003 - By the President of the United States of America - A Proclamation:  www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030115-11.html

• “Prohibition became official in America in 1920, at 12.01 a.m. on Jan. 17.”  Source:  A Toast To The End of Prohibition:  www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99/n1313/a09.html

• Born in Boston, 15th of 17 siblings, son of a candle- and soapmaker
• Inventor of the bifocals, the Franklin stove, the lightening rod.
• One of America’s Founding Fathers, helped to draft the Declaration of Independence and was the only person to sign the four key documents that created the United States:  The Declaration of Independence, The Treaty of Alliance with France, the peace treaty with Britain, the US Constitution.
• Died at the age of 84.  Nearly 20,000 people attended his funeral.

• “The United States officially observes National Arbor Day on the last Friday in April. However, The Florida Legislature in 1945 designated the third Friday in January as the State Arbor Day, because that is the time of year when the climate is optimal for planting trees in Florida.”  Source: www.arborday.org/states/index.cfm?state=FL
• See ButlerWebs’ General Webs for America & The 50 States, a special page for Florida.

• Biography of A. A. Milne: www.pooh-corner.com/biomilne.html
• “The Walt Disney Company does not recognize any date as the official birthday of Winnie the Pooh. In fact, we only officially recognize three character birthdays — Mickey and Minnie Mouse (November 18, 1928) and Donald Duck (June 9, 1934).” Source: http://psc.disney.go.com/guestservices/8720.html#8720

• For information about Cary Grant, see The Ultimate Cary Grant pages at:  www.carygrant.net

• Cuckoo Dancing Week is observed the week of January 18th, celebrating Laurel and Hardy movies. Source: www.irish-cream.com/laurel-hardy.html

• Bald Eagle Appreciation Days are held the third weekend of each January. Source:  http://keokuk-ia.com/tourism/bald.htm
• Keokuk, Iowa - Winter home of the largest concentration of Bald Eagles on the Mississippi River. See www.keokukiowatourism.org - then go to Bald Eagle Appreciation Days.

• Source: About Texas - Texas State Library and Archives Commission:  www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/holidays.html
• See ButlerWebs’ General Webs for America & The 50 States, a special page for Texas for other Texas holidays and observances.

• Source: http://homeschooling.about.com/library/bljan19a.htm

• Source: www.foodreference.com/html/fbuttercrunch.html

• Inauguration Day occurs every four years after the election of a US President the previous November and is observed the 20th of January unless it is a Sunday (which it was in 2002), then Inauguration Day is moved to Monday, January 21st.  Inauguration Day has been observed on January 20th since 1937.  Prior to 1937, Inauguration Day was March 4th.

• Interesting article: www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/Only-In-America-Hugs.cfm
• Send a free Hugging Day Card:  www.123greetings.com/cute_cards/hugs/

Ann Miller (Dancer), died January 22, 2004 of cancer. She was born April 12, 1919.

• Created by the American Pie Council, National Pie Day is dedicated to the celebration of pie. Source:  www.piecouncil.org/national.htm

Johnny Carson (TV Host) - Died January 23, 2005 at the age of 79 from emphysema. He was born October 23, 1925 in Corning IA and grew up in Norfolk NE. Web site:  www.johnnycarson.com

Nell Carter, died January 23, 2003 complications of diabetes. She was a Broadway actress and had a role on the TV Series Gimme A Break. (Born September 13, 1948)

Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo and Clarabell The Clown), died January 23, 2004 at the age of 76.  See his biography Click Here.

• For information, see: California Gold - An Authentic History of the First Find - With the Names of Those Interested in the Discovery at www.sfmuseum.org/hist6/grush.html

• Source: www.squarez.com/StoryComments.php?story_id=142

• Bio & Death Announcement from CNN.com - Click Here
• Jean Dixon Museum: Click Here

• See: www.bennytour.com/jonathan.htm and
• www.siteforrent.com/intro.html (Submitted by Christi 9/21/04.))

• Source:  www.australiaday.vic.gov.au/home.asp

• In observance of General MacArthur’s birthday who was born on January 26th in Arkansas.

• Republic Day is India’s great national festival. It is celebrated every year on January 26th.  Source:  www.indiaa2z.com/festivals/republicday.htm

• Source:  www.candyusa.org/Classroom/calendar.asp

• Interesting Web sites:
  • The Plumber.com www.theplumber.com/crapper.html
    With research about Thomas Crapper
  • Sir Thomas Crapper - Real or Myth - Plumbing History:  www.plumbingworld.com/historythomas.html

• “On January 27, 1880, Thomas Edison received the historic patent embodying the principles of his incandescent lamp that paved the way for the universal domestic use of electric light.” - Source: www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=46
  • Note: Edison solved the problem of maintaining a vacuum in the lightbulb constructed by Swan, and on October 21, 1879, he illuminated a carbon filament light bulb that glowed continuously for 40 hours. Source: www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/story074.htm

Jack Paar (best known as “The Original Talk Show Host) died January 27, 2004.  He was born May 1, 1918. See official Web site:  www.jackparr.com

• Site of the First Telephone Exchange was demolished in 1973

• Source: www.123greetings.com/events/puzzle_day

• See ButlerWeb’s special page for Kansas.

• Tet Offensive of 1968 - A Simpler Version at www.1stcavmedic.com/tet_offensive_of_1968.htm
• The Tet Offensive 1968: www.diggerhistory.info/pages-conflicts-periods/vietnam/tet.htm

• The History Place - Child Labor in America: www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor