1905 History, Trivia and Fun Facts

Firsts, Inventions and Wonders: 
The tradition of national anthems before sporting events was started by the Welsh rugby union team who sung “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau” in response to New Zealand’s haka prior to the inaugural 1905 match between the two teams.

Rotary International opened in Chicago.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) formed.

Variety Magazine began publishing in New York City.

The National Audubon Society (Audubon) was founded.

Popsicle ice pops were originally known as Epsicles, as they were invented in 1905 by 11-year-old Frank Epperson. Epperson shared the frozen treat with his kids many years later, at which point they became known as “Pop’s sicles,” leading up to a patent on the frozen treat in 1923.

America’s first theater devoted exclusively to moving pictures appeared in Pittsburgh in 1905. Its founders called the place Nickelodeon, from the price of admission (a nickel) and “Odeon” the ancient Greek word for theatre.

First running of the Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb, in Shelsley Walsh, Worcestershire, England.

Alfred Einhorn patented novocaine (procaine) in Germany.

The Niagara Movement was founded, later became The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

The Trans-Siberian Railway officially opened after its completion on July 21, 1904.

America’s first pizzeria opened in 1905 and is still open today. Lombardi’s is a pizzeria located at 32 Spring Street on the corner of Mott Street in the Nolita neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City.

Pop Culture News: 
The illiteracy in the US was 106.6 per 1,000 people.

Montenegro and Japan were at war from 1904 to 2006. Montenegro assisted Russia in the Russo-Japanese war but were not present at the signing of the peace treaty in 1905. Both countries signed the treaty in 2006 when Montenegro became independent.

After moving to Paris in 1903, Mata Hari became an exotic dancer in 1905.

The Ford Model F car was produced

When Prince Carl of Denmark was offered the throne of newly independent Norway in 1905, he refused to take it unless the Norwegian people agreed that they wanted a monarchy rather than a republic. He won the resulting referendum with 79%, and became King Haakon VII.

Las Vegas was founded.

The Cullinan Diamond, the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, weighing 3,106.75 carats (621.35 g), was discovered at the Premier No. 2 mine in Cullinan, modern-day South Africa.

The New York Hippodrome (1905-1939) opened.

The Grover Shoe Factory disaster was a boiler explosion, building collapse and fire that killed 58 people and injured 150 when it leveled the R.B. Grover shoe factory in Brockton, Massachusetts.

Teddy Roosevelt helped save American Football by urging rules changes to make the game safer, by allowing the Forward pass, after over a dozen players  died during the 1905 season.

In 1905 at age 26, Einstein authored 4 papers dubbed the “Annus Mirabilis (extraordinary year) Papers”, which included his Special Theory of Relativity. They were about the Photoelectric Effect, Brownian Motion, Special Relativity, and Mass-Energy Equivalence. These papers are considered the foundation of modern physics.

Popular and Best-selling Books From 1905: