Today in History

History & Celebrations Today – April 10

Celebrations Today – April 10

Holidays and observances

Celebrations Today – USA: April 10

National Cinnamon Crescent Day
National Encourage a Young Writer Day
National Farm Animals Day
National Siblings Day
National Appomattox Day
National Jenkins Ear Day
National Chicken Little Awareness Day

Today in US History: April 10

The First Arbor Day


Mimosa Tree,
Theodor Horydczak, photographer, circa 1920-1950.
Washington as It Was: Photographs by Theodor Horydczak, 1923-1959


Pine Tree,
Theodor Horydczak, photographer, circa 1920-1950.
Washington as It Was: Photographs by Theodor Horydczak, 1923-1959

Nebraskans planted more than one million trees on April 10, 1872, in celebration of the first Arbor Day. The occasion fulfilled the dream of J. Sterling Morton, a newspaper editor and former governor of the Nebraska Territory. Morton, an ardent proponent of forestation, lobbied for a holiday to encourage the planting of trees. In 1885, thirteen years after Arbor Day was first celebrated, Nebraskans changed the date to April 22 in honor of Morton’s birthday. Arbor Day is now officially celebrated worldwide, usually on the last Friday in April.

By 1907, Arbor Day was observed in every state in the Union, principally through school programs. Through these celebrations, schoolchildren were urged to consider the planting of a tree as a patriotic, even pious, act, as well as a sound investment and a contribution to community aesthetics.


The Washington Elm, Cambridge, Massachusetts, circa 1899.
Touring Turn-of-the-Century America: Photographs from the Detroit Publishing Company, 1880-1920
Popular legend holds that under this tree General George Washington first took command of the American army on July 3, 1775.

Arbor Day Leaves, published in 1893 and featured in The Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920, provides a brief history of Arbor Day, an overview of Arbor Day observances, and a sample Arbor Day program typical of those performed in schools throughout the country.


‘Only God Can Make a Tree’,”
Stanley Clough, artist, Ohio, 1938.
By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943


Plains Farms Need Trees,”
Joseph Dusek, artist, Chicago, Illinois, between 1936 and 1940.
By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943


Spare Our Trees,”
Stanley Clough, artist, Ohio, 1938.
By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943

Today in History – April 10-External Links

Today’s Weather in History
Today in Earthquake History
This Day in Naval History
Today’s Document from the National Archives
Today’s Events, Births & Deaths –Wikipedia
Today in History by AP
On this Day -1950 to 2005 – Today’s Story–BBC
On This Day: The New York Times
This Day in History –History.com
Today in Canadian History – Canada Channel
History of Britain that took place On This Day
Russia in History –Russiapedia

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