May 25, 1950 – Chicago Green Hornet disaster kills 33
Tragedy struck the streets of Chicago on this day in 1950 when 33 people died in what was one of the deadliest public transportation disasters in US history to date. It was aboard one of Chicago Transit Authority’s electric “Green Hornet” trolleys in which the fates of those who
May 24, 2010 – Hummer shuts down
On this day in 2010, rugged off-road and military automaker Hummer went defunct. The origins of the civilian Hummer can be traced to 1979 when the US Army put out word that they were seeking a “High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle,” or HMMWV. AM General designed a vehicle that
May 23, 1934 – Bonnie & Clyde are shot to death in a Ford V8
On this day in 1934 outlaws Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut “Champion” Barrow were shot to death in a police ambush while driving a stolen 1934 Ford V8 in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. The two had met in January 1930 at a mutual friend’s house and Bonnie was quickly
May 22, 1906 – Wrights receive a flying machine patent
On this day in 1906, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright received their first patent related to their “flying machine.” They originally filed for the patent prior to their first powered flight, which took place on December 17, 1903, a few miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. After their
May 21, 2003 – Automobile builder Alejandro de Tomaso dies
Alejandro de Tomaso was born in Argentina in 1928 to a politically prominent family. In the mid 1950s he was forced to flee his country for his grandfather’s homeland, Italy, after being suspected of participating in a plot to overthrow the current Argentinian president. He found himself in Modena,
May 20, 1899 – The first US speed ticket is issued
On this day in 1899, New York City taxicab driver Jacob German left his mark on history by becoming the first person in the United States to be cited for speeding while driving an automobile. German was a driver for the Electric Vehicle Company, which leased its cars to
May 19, 1903 – Buick is Founded
On this day in 1903 the Buick Motor Company was founded as a subdivision of Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company, which started business in 1899 manufacturing internal combustion engines. The first Buick to go on sale to the public was the Model B, which was launched in 1904 with
May 18, 1958 – Lotus makes its Formula One debut
Team Lotus made its Formula One debut today in 1958 at the Monaco Grand Prix in France, the opening event for the European racing season. Lotus entered two single-seat Type 12 race cars, which were driven by Cliff Allison and Graham Hill. While Ferrari was the favored team in
