AUGUST 20
Today in Food History• National Lemonade Day (Lemonade Recipes) • National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
(Chocolate Pecan Pie Recipes) • St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Day, patron of beekeepers.
On this day in:1867 The British Parliament enacted the Merchant Shipping Act of 1867, which mandated that lemon or lime juice (or other anti-scorbutics) be provided to most ships crews daily to prevent illness (scurvy).
(Scurvy Facts & Trivia) 1908 Kingsley Davis was born (died Feb 27, 1997). World renowned American sociologist and demographer. An expert on population trends, he coined the terms 'population explosion' and 'zero population growth.'
(Population and Food Facts) 1910 The Great Fire of 1910 (also called the Big Blowup or the Big Burn) was the largest forest fire in U.S. history. Burning for 2 days, August 20 & 21, it destroyed about 3 million acres across northeast Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana (an area about the size of Connecticut). 87 people were killed, including 78 firefighters. 1912 The U.S. Plant Quarantine Act of 1912 gives the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) authority to regulate the importation plants that may carry pests and diseases that are harmful to agriculture 1929 The trademark 'La Choy' was registered by La Choy Food Products. 1948 Robert Plant of the music group 'Led Zeppelin' was born. 1955 'The Popcorn Song' by Cliffie Stone hit number 14 on the charts. 1960 Sputnik 5 returned to earth. See August 19, 1960 for details. 1966 The Beatles pelted with rotten fruit during a Memphis concert. 1968 A record giant sea bass caught with a fishing rod weighed in at over 563 pounds. It was caught off the coast of California.
(Sea Bass Trivia -- Sea Bass Recipes) 1989 George Adamson died (born Feb 3, 1906). British conservationist who pioneered the movement to preserve African wildlife together with his wife Joy. 1996 The U.S. minimum wage is raised by 90 cents to $5.15 an hour. 2007 Leona Helmsley died (born July 4, 1920). American hotelier famous for her tyrannical behavior, and known as The Queen of Mean. (See also Dec 12 1989)
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