Here’s a brief look back in time on this day, February 21st.
In 1885, after decades of planning, some quarrelling, and an entire Civil War, the Washington Monument is completed and dedicated. Plans for the monument were first composed following 1st U.S. president George Washington’s death in 1799. The obelisk structure wasn’t approved by Congress until 1848 when architect Robert Mills proposed its construction. It’ll be open to the public a few years later on October 9th, 1888.
In 1916, the Battle of Verdun begins in France during World War I as a German war machine strikes a cathedral located in the historic city. The battle would prove to be the longest one in the war, having ended in December that same year. Heavy losses were sustained on both the French and German sides, with a combined total of around 755,000 killed in action.
In 1948, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is founded by William France, Sr. in Daytona Beach, FL. Stock car racing would explode in popularity during Prohibition in illegal street races that often left racers and promotors conned out of their winnings. France, disgruntled about the lack of regulations, began organizing each race into a ladder-like formula, thus creating the prestigious Cup Series that remains today.