2009 Milestones

Forty years have passed since man first stepped foot on the moon. I watched various retrospectives that aired over the past few days and was very moved by the remembrances. What a great moment in history that was, rivaled by few others

I got to thinking . . . what other notable anniversaries are happening in 2009?

• King Henry VIII was crowned king of England in 1509 . . . 500 years ago.
• George Washington was married to Martha Custis in 1759 . . . 250 years ago.
• Robert Fulton obtained a patent for the steamboat in 1809 . . . 200 years ago.
• Oregon became the 33rd U.S. state in 1859 . . . 150 years ago.
• Ernest Shackleton became the first to reach the South Pole in 1909 . . . 100 years ago.
• Robert Peary became the first to reach the North Pole in 1909 . . . 100 years ago.
• The Barbie Doll was introduced in 1959 . . . 50 years ago.
• Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state in 1959 . . . 50 years ago.

And, if they had lived to 2009, these people would have celebrated some special birthdays:

• John Calvin (500 years)
• William Wilberforce (250 years)
• Abraham Lincoln (200 years)
• Charles Darwin (200 years)
• Barry Goldwater (100 years)

And, 2009 is a special milestone year for me personally.

• My parents celebrated 40 years of marriage on July 4.
• Manuelito Navajo Children's Home (my employer) will celebrate 50 years of operation on August 15.