Valentine’s Day / National Ferris Wheel Day

Valentine’s Day

February 14

According to the List 25 website the most popular theory about Valentine’s Day’s origin is that Emperor Claudius II didn’t want Roman men to marry during wartime. Bishop Valentine went against his wishes and performed secret weddings. For this, Valentine was jailed and executed. While in jail he wrote a note to the jailer’s daughter signing it “from your Valentine.” About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. Many believe the “X” symbol became synonymous with the kiss in medieval times. People who couldn’t write their names signed in front of a witness with an X. The X was then kissed to show their sincerity. In 1537, England’s King Henry VII officially declared Feb. 14 the holiday of St. Valentine’s Day.

National Ferris Wheel Day

February 14

The Ferris Wheel was Invented in 1893 for the Chicago World’s Fair. The inventor George W. Ferris, a bridge builder, came up with the concept of the Ferris Wheel and sketched it on a cocktail napkin at an Engineer’s Banquet in 1891. The first Ferris Wheel was 264 feet high. The current tallest Ferris wheel is 550 foot called the High Roller in Las Vegas, Nevada, which opened to the public in March 2014.

Today’s Birthdays of Note….

Jimmy Hoffa – American Labor Union Leader  – born in Brazil, Indiana

Jack Benny – Comedian – born in Chicago, Illinois

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