1926 History, Trivia and Fun Facts

Quick Facts from 1926:

• World Changing Event: Robert Goddard’s first liquid-fueled rockets were tested in Auburn, Massachusetts.
• Influential Songs include: When the Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin Along by Al Jolson and Always by George Olson (and many others).
• The Movies to Watch include The Son of the Sheik, The Scarlet Letter, The Bat, Faust, and The General
• The Most Famous Person in America was probably Charlie Chaplin
• Notable books include: Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard
• Price of Bayer Aspirin in 1926: 100/72 cents. Price of generic Aspirin in 2019: 500/$4.99.
• The Male Sex Symbol was: Rudolph Valentino
• The Conversation: Where did Agatha Christie disappear to?

Firsts, Inventions, and Wonders:
The first SATs took place on June 23, 1926. They were called the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The SATs changed names in 1990, becoming the Scholastic Assessment Test. The first ‘college board’ exams were in 1901.

The Oyster Watch, created by Timex, was the first waterproof watch.

The Brannock Device was patented (#US1725334A). It was the first foot-size measuring mechanism.

Chock Full o’Nuts was founded. They added coffee a few years later.

All Hass avocados are descended from a single tree, grafted by Rudolph Gustav Hass in 1926.

Winnie-the-Pooh, written by A.A. Milne and illustrated by E.H. Shepard was published on October 14.

Stella Artois was launched as a seasonal beer for Christmas in 1926.

US Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926

Maidenform’s uplifting brassiere was patented in 1926. The adjusted strap fastener came out in 1942.

Phencyclidine (aka PCP, angel dust) was first synthesized.

The word documentary was coined by Scottish documentary filmmaker John Grierson in his review of Robert Flaherty’s film Moana.

Pop Culture History: 
Harry Houdini died of peritonitis from a ruptured appendix on October 31 (Halloween), at the age of 52. He was unprepared for several punches to his gut, on a dare, on Oct. 22nd.

Dr. Robert Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket on March 16th… it traveled about 184 feet.

Ann Turner Cook was the first Gerber Baby, introduced in 1926.

On May 1, 1926, Ford Motor Company became the first large American company to adopt a five-day, 40-hour week for workers in its automotive factories. The rate of pay was $5 per day, considered very high at the time.

Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio became the Walt Disney Studio.

The musical standard pitch (A = 440Hz) has only been standard since 1926,

The Great Stork Derby was a contest held in Toronto from 1926-1936, in which women competed to produce the most babies in order to win $750K as stipulated in Charles Vance Millar’s will. The prize ended up being split among four women who each had 9 babies.

1914-1926 Ford Model T came in “any color you want, so long as it’s black.”

Mercedes-Benz was founded on June 28.

Agatha Christie disappeared from December 3, 1936, through December 14, 1926. Later found in a hotel room, she never explained why.

Rin Tin Tin made $6,000 a week as a dog actor in 1926.

Q-Tips Baby Gays (invented as ‘Baby Gays’ in 1923) was rebranded. The “Q” stands for quality. The “Tips” are the cotton thingys on both ends.

Sinclair Lewis refused to accept the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1926 because he felt the winning book, Arrowsmith, was chosen for its popularity more than its literary merit. He remains the only person to decline the award.

On November 15, The NBC radio network opened with 24 stations.

New York City passed several laws banning dancing in public spaces without a special license. (The laws are still enforced today.)

Poland sent the US a (150th) birthday card with over 5 million signatures. Polish citizen Leopold Kotnowski visited the White House to present the card for America’s birthday. It has 30,000 pages full of art, photos, poems and pressed flowers.

Leslie Kelley published the first Blue Book in 1926, now a standard guide in automotive sales in determining car value.