Here’s a brief look back in time for this day, May 6.
In 1935, in an effort to bring relief to the unemployed amidst the Great Depression, 32nd U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs into law the Works Progress Administration. The program gave 3 million men and women jobs primarily in the public works sector, which helped build highways, landmarks, libraries, and schools. Other sectors included music, the arts, and historical records.
In 1937, an airship carrying 97 occupants suddenly catches fire and collapses in a field near NAS Lakehurst in New Jersey. Called the Hindenburg, the airship came in from Germany, which at the time was ruled under the Nazi party. Speculation currently surrounds the cause of the ignition, but it is generally believed to be accidental in nature. It brought an abrupt end to airships being used for public transportation. The Goodyear Blimp is the most well-known airship to sail the skies.
In 1994, the Channel Tunnel opens to the public. It connected England to mainland Europe through the usage of high-speed trains. The track connects from the coastal town of Folkestone, UK, to the French commune of Coquelles.