Harry Potter Day / National Canoe Day

Harry Potter Day

June 26

The author of the Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling, wrote the first children’s books included on the New York Bestseller list since E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web in 1952. When Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was released in Great Britain, the publisher asked stores not to sell the book until schools were closed for the day to prevent truancy. The seven Harry Potter books have sold nearly 500 million copies since the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1997, making Harry Potter the bestselling book series of all time. Rowling said she may have inadvertently taken the name of Harry’s school, “Hogwarts,” from a hogwort plant she saw in the Kew Gardens in New York City.

National Canoe Day

June 26

According to the Wisconsin River Canoeing Trips website, there are two theories regarding the origin of the term “canoe”. One theory posed is that the term is derived from the African word kenu which means “dugout”. Others claim the word is of an Arawak origin: originally spelled “canoa” then anglicized as the word canoe”. Archaeologist have discovered the remains of a dugout canoe which puts the age of the first canoes to more than 8000 years old. However, nobody knows exactly when canoeing started and when the first canoe was built but, it is believed the canoes were developed by North American natives. Canoes were used by The French to establish the fur trade and played a significant role in the exploration of North America. Many of the canoes used by fur traders could carry a capacity of up to 5,300 pounds along with several crew members.

Today’s Birthdays of Note….

Ariana Grande – Singer – 26 – Boca Raton, Florida

Derek Jeter – Professional Baseball Player – 45 – born in Pequannock, New Jersey

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