August - A Significant Month in Transportation and Travel History

August is a really interesting month in transportation history.

To wit, in past Augusts, we've seen the ..

First Steamboat Trip, First 707 Delivery, First DC-10 Flight, First 757-300 Flight, Start of 757 Production, Rollout of 737-900ER and Dreamlifter, among other things.

I did some of the research in the following article (those who know me personally know my degrees are in history, albeit with a focus on the Habsburg Monarchy, not transportation).

Great Moments in Travel History – August 2012
By Paul Riegler

On August 7, 1807, American inventor Robert Fulton’s steamboat Clermont made its first run from Albany to New York City in 32 hours, traveling at an average five miles per hour (eight kilometers per hour).

On August 16, 1858, after several failed attempts at laying a cable on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, Queen Victoria and President Buchanan exchanged congratulatory cable messages. While the cable only lasted a month it …