iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 23h

#OnThisDayInHistory, President Lincoln observes a balloon launching in 1861. Both sides tried to use balloons in the Civil War, but it was dangerous and impractical. Balloon go uppy!

a black-and-white photo of a civil-war-era balloon launching. the pilot sits in the basket, which is above the treetops. There are soldiers in Civil War uniforms below the basket holding the tethers. There are tents under the trees in the distance.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" premieres in 1961. Originally meant to be a show starring Carl Reiner playing basically himself, the lead role was recast and the rest is history.

A black-and-white picture of the cast of "The Dick Van Dyke Show." From left to right they are Dick Van Dyke, Morey Amsterdam, Richard Deacon, Rose Marie, and Mary Tyler Moore. The men all wear dark suits with ties. Deacon is wearing glasses Rose Marie has a dark fur coat, and Mary Tyler Moore is in a sleeveless dress.

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Gatorade is tested for the first time in a college football game between the Florida Gators and the LSU Tigers in 1965. Mmm, salty sugar water! And BUBBLY salty sugar water, yum!

two cans of Gatorade. They are both yellow-green, and have the product name in a white rectangle. A red lightning bolt comes down from the top of the can, goes behind the O and R in "Gatorade," and ends near the bottom of the can. The can on the left is slightly more yellow and says it is non-carbonated. The can on the right is more green and say it is carbonated.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Johnny Carson makes his "Tonight Show" debut, taking over from Jack Parr, in 1962. Theeeeeeeeere's Johnny!

a photo of Johnny Carson in the '60s. He wears a red sweater with a white collared shirt under it. He sits backwards on a chair with his arms crossed on the seat back. His hair is dark, and he smiles slightly.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, the first volume of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" is published in 1868. Hey, you know who's in a production of "Little Women?" Me! We open November 27 at @redcurtainwa.bsky.social

a book cover of "Little Women." The cover is green leather and has the title at the top and the author's name at the bottom. In the middle is an oval with a drawing of four young women in 1860's clothing. One woman in a white patterned dress is seated with brown hair, and the other three stand behind her, hugging.

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the engine that bears his name, disappears mysteriously in 1913. Or was it....MURDER?

A black-and-white photo of Rudolf Diesel. He has white hair and a mustache. He wears wire-rimmed glasses and rests his cheek on his hand.

001

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Ted Williams becomes the last baseball player to hit .400, in 1941. He's also the first one to do it since 1930. Also, he actually hits .406.

A photo of Ted Williams. He smiles at the camera and rests a baseball bat on his left shoulder. He is wearing a black Red Sox cap with a red "B" on it.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Jack The Ripper gets his name when the Central News Agency in London gets a letter thusly signed confessing to gruesome murders and promising more in 1888. This is different than Jack Tripper, who got his name from some Hollywood writers.

A picture of the Jack Tripper action figure, in the package, and a closer view of it out of the package. The package has a picture of Jack's face, with Janet's face above him and Chrissy's face below him. They are all smiling. The action figure has a red sweater with yellow stripes and white pants and very vaguely resembles John Ritter.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" opens in the US in 1975. This post makes me shiver in antici.....pation.

Tim Curry, dressed as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, lounges in a pair of lips. He wears a leather bustier, a pearl necklace, black panties and garter belt, and black fishnet stockings and platform heels. The words "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" appear above him in dripping font.

041

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Vasco Núñez de Balboa becomes the first European to see the Pacific Ocean in 1513. And he doesn't even get to name it.

Art of a group of Spanish explorers gathered around Balboa, who stands on a rock holding a Spanish flag. Below the rock is the ocean with a sailing ship on the water.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Fannie Farmer opens Miss Farmer’s School of Cookery in Boston in 1902. Looks like a real party school.

A class of cooking students. They all wear black dresses and white aprons or pinafores and mobcaps. They stand at large tables with cooking equipment on them.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Neptune is discovered by Johann Gottfried Galle in 1846. According to the picture, he just stumbled on it. That's convenient.

A picture of Johann Gottfried Galle and Neptune. Neptune is a blue planet with a darker blue spot on it. Galle is an older man with thinning white hair. Because he's wearing a black coat over a black starfield, he appears to be hovering next to Neptune.

011

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Sara Jane Moore attempts to shoot President Ford, just 17 days after a previous failed attempt, in 1975. You should see my friend Adrienne kill it (so to speak) as Moore in "Assassins" at Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts the next 2 weekends!

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Cecil Chubb buys Stonehenge at auction on a whim in 1915. Three years later he deeds it to the British people as a gift. His wife, who expected household goods from the auction, was not amused.

A black-and-white photo of a crowd of people in front of Stonehenge. There is a group in front lying on the ground surrounded by bicycles, and there is a cart off to the side.

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, the first European battle on American soil happens when the Spanish capture the Huguenot settlement of Fort Caroline in what is now Florida in 1565. This is progress?

A black-and-white drawing of Spanish soldiers at Fort Caroline. A solider at the center stands with a horse in regalia, pointing at the settlement. Several soldiers stand behind him.

001

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Nikita Khrushchev is angered when he finds he can't visit Disneyland in 1959. Apparently visiting the set of "Can-Can" wasn't enough for him.

a black-and-white photo of Nikita Khrushchev on the set of the movie "Can-Can.' He is surrounded by men in suits and women in costumes. There is a large KTLA camera pointed at him.

001

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, future president Jimmy Carter reports a UFO sighting to the International UFO Bureau in 1973. He called it, “the darndest thing I’ve ever seen.” I want to believe!

a black-and-white photo of Jimmy Carter in a suit, pointing into the distance. There is also a lit orb over his hand

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Oprah launches her book club in 1996. No one screams and loses their minds over free books, but they probably should.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Tom Morris scores history's first recorded hole-in-one at Prestwick's 8th hole in Scotland in 1869. That guy is aces!

a photo of a golfer celebrating. He is jumping in the air, wearing khaki shorts, a blue polo shirt, a hat, and a golfing glove. He holds his club over his head. The words "Hole in One" appear over his head.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, the famous picture of Marilyn Monroe laughing as her skirt is blown up by a subway vent is shot during filming of "The Seven Year Itch" in 1954. Her husband, Joe DiMaggio, is not amused.

A black-and-white photo of Marilyn Monroe. She stands on a subway grate. This skirt of her white dress is blowing up around her, and she holds it down in front with her right hand. Her left hand is by her face, and she is laughing

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, "The Golden Girls" premieres, starting its seven-season run, in 1985. Sure, they all got Emmys, but what ever happened to Coco?

A photo of the cast of "The Golden Girls." Each actor holds an Emmy statuette. Rue McClanahan is in flowing green and red. Estelle Getty is in a red dress with black and white trim. Bea Arthur is in a blue and brown flowing dress. Betty White is in a blue suit.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, David Broderick is the only US Senator killed in a duel when he's shot by David Terry, Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, in 1859. I'm sure the duel was over that beard.

a black-and-white photograph of David Broderick. He has a dark-colored three-piece suit with watch chain and a tie tied in a bow. He has a beard with no mustache.

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Dr. Mae Jemison becomes the first black woman in space in 1992. And that's BEFORE she joined Starfleet! #ItsAboutDamnTime

Two photos of Dr. Mae Jemison. On the left, she wears her orange astronaut uniform and holds her space helmet under her right arm. She smiles at the camera. On the right, she wears a yellow Starfleet uniform and mans a control panel in a scene from "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Donny Osmond scores his first solo #1 hit with "Go Away Little Girl" in 1971. Carole King co-wrote it, but that somehow doesn't make it into "Beautiful."

A photo of Donny Osmond. He has poofy black hair and a big smile. He is wearing a cream-colored 3-piece suit with wide lapels and a patterned shirt with a butterfly collar.

001

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1956. They even film his full body, so you could see his hips. Scandalous!

A black-and-white photo of Elvis Presley performing on "The Ed Sullivan Show." He wears a plaid jacket and dark pants and is playing a guitar. There is an amplifier behind him on one side, and a stand-up bass player behind him on the other side. The edge of the drum set is visible in the side of the picture

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Gerald Ford pardons Richard Nixon in 1974. This is no way sets us up for where we are today.

A photo of Gerald Ford giving an address on TV. He has thinning hair, and wears a dark suit and dark striped tie. He sits in a black leather chair in front of a window with gold drapes. He is in soft focus.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, the United States gets its nickname, "Uncle Sam," in 1813. It comes from meat packer Samuel Wilson, whose beef barrels he supplied to the army became referred to as "Uncle Sam's" meat. At least, that's the story Congress went with.

A yellowed photo of Samuel Wilson. His white hair is long over his ears, and he has a mustache. The hair on top of his head has been flat ironed. He wears a large dark-colored coat with buttons. His name appears at the bottom of the picture.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, one of Magellan's ships, the "Victoria," arrives in Spain, thus completing circumnavigating the world, in 1522. He didn't fall off the Earth or get eaten by dragons or anything!

An illustration of Magellan's voyage. A galleon is on a map off the coast of South America. The wind is in its sails, and its flags stream behind it.

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Sarah Winchester, heiress of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company fortune, dies, halting progress on her famous house in 1922. She calls it “Llanada Villa," but we all know it as the Winchester Mystery House. Spooky-ooky!

A photo of the Winchester Mystery House. It is a pale yellow Victorian mansion with a large porch, gables, a turret, and many spires. It has a beautifully manicured yard and is shot against a vibrant blue sky.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Ford introduces the Edsel, named after Henry Ford's son, in 1957. It does not end well.

A sky-blue Edsel. It is a convertible car with the top down. There is a white stripe near the top edge of the side. It also has whitewall tires and a "zero" on the grill.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, the Stars and Stripes flies in war for the first time at a battle at Cooch's Bridge, Delaware, in 1777. I have nothing to say about that name.

An illustration of the Battle of Cooch's Bridge. British soldiers are on a bridge in the distance. In the foreground, Revolutionary soldiers crouch at the river's edge. One holds the Stars and Stripes, with its 13 stars in a circle. There is a house in the far distance.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, the Great Fire of London breaks out in 1666. It happens when Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicks over an overheated glue pot in the house of King Charles II’s baker on Pudding Lane.

A black-and-white drawing from the Great Fire of London. The city buildings are in flames, with dark smoke rising over the left-hand side of the picture. The buildings are on arched platforms next to the river. In the river there are boats with rowers. The boat in the foreground has four people in it, while the one in the distance has many people in it, with what look to be weapons.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, PT Barnum brings Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale," to tour the United States in 1859. Because when I think circuses, I think opera. And vice-versa.

a painting of Jenny Lind. She sits with her hands in her lap. She is wearing a white off-the-shoulder dress and has a gray drape over her lap. Her brown hair is up, with flowers decorating it. She looks over her right shoulder.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, GM demonstrates the "Sunmobile," its solar-powered car, in 1955. "What is this? A car for ants? How can we be expected to teach children to learn how to drive... if they can't even fit inside the car?...The car has to be at least... 3 times bigger than this!"

a black-and-white photo of a hand holding the Sunmobile. It is a small dark-colored 15-inch car with four solar panels on the trunk, the hood, and the roof of the car. The hand tilts the top of the car toward the camera

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Christopher Cross has his first #1 hit with "Sailing" in 1980. But did he have to wear his clothes backwards?

a photo of the Hip-Hop group Kris Kross. They are two boys in matching green pinstriped Oakland Athletics jerseys and jeans, both worn backwards. Their hair is in twists. Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly is on the right, wearing a gold medallion on a chain. a black leather belt, and a pinkie ring, and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith is on the left.

100

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, John McCain chooses Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008. Worked out well for Tina Fey, anyhow.

a photo of Sarah Palin. She looks over her shoulder to the right. She is smiling, wearing her hair up. She has glasses, small earrings, and a large US flag pin

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, the "Tom Thumb," the first American-built locomotive, competes against a horse-drawn car in a race from Baltimore to Ellicott Mills in 1830. Spoiler alert: The horse wins!

An illustration of the Tom Thumb competing against a horse-drawn car. The Tom Thumb is a small steam engine with smoke billowing out of it. There are people on the locomotive, which pulls a train car full of people. Behind this, on another set of train tracks, a white horse pulls a train car with a few passengers and a driver

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Mt. Krakatoa explodes, in one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in recorded history, in 1883. That's Krakatoa, WEST of Java. "Frasier" fans all know the movie got it wrong.

a photo of Mt. Krakatoa. It is a conical mountain with a plume of ash or smoke rising from it. The mountain is surrounded by the ocean.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Edmond Halley observes the comet that would bear his name in 1682. Better than observing someone else's comet.

A picture of Halley's comet in front of a star field. the head of the comet points toward the left and is yellow in color. The tail stretches toward the right of the picture and is bluish.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Momofuku Ando develops the first mass-market instant ramen in 1958. Brain food!

a girl stands in front of a giant Cup Noodles cup that has been cross-sectioned so the dried noodles and vegetables are behind her. There is a colorful wall behind them of different Cup Noodles labels.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Pluto is demoted from a planet to a dwarf planet in 2006. Don't cry, buddy, we still love you!

a cartoon of the sun with a smiley face being surrounded by 8 planets that also have faces. The one at the center represents Earth, being largely blue with green and yellow continents. A short distance away from the group is a small gray circle representing Pluto, with tear-filled eyes. Above the picture are the words "Pluto demoted day August 24."

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, four counties in North Carolina break away to form the new state of Franklin in 1784. It lasts four years. Oh sure, now I gotta memorize a new map.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, "The Big Sleep," a quintessential Noir film, directed by Howard Hawks and starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, premieres in 1946. Where you put that one light really matters.

A movie poster for "The Big Sleep." The movie title is in yellow letters. At the lower right-hand corner of the frame is a dark figure in a fedora smoking a cigarette. The smoke drifts up and creates the profiles of Bogart and Bacall.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Ransom Eli Olds founds his car company, which would eventually be called Oldsmobile, in 1897. Then he hangs out with Jack Chevrolet.

A black-and-white photo of Ransom Eli Olds behind the wheel of "Old Scout," an early car. It has high fenders over the wheels. It is steered with a pole instead of a wheel. On the back, it reads "Oldsmobile [en] Route New York Portland Oregon." The fender obscures the words; there may be something between New York and Portland.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Adolphe Pégoud becomes the first person to parachute out of an aircraft in 1913. he also will be the first flying ace during World War I, but he stays in the plane to do that.

a black-and-white photo of Adolphe Pégoud sitting in the cockpit of a plane. he wears a helmet and goggles and gloves and has a curled mustache

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, the USS Constitution earns its nickname, "Old Ironsides," in 1812. By being old. and strong as iron, y'see

a photo of the USS Constitution, a 3 master sailing ship. it flies a US flag off the stern

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, the 19th amendment is ratified in 1920. It passes by a single vote, cast by a representative who changes his vote after he got a note from his mother. Aw, Mom.... #feminism #ItsAboutDamnTime

a black and white photo of a group of suffragettes, mostly wearing white dresses and sashes, standing in front of a sign reading "we demand an amendment to the US constitution enfranchising women"

010

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, a record is set for the most flowers delivered in a day, and Memphis florists are wiped out, when 3100 flower arrangements are delivered for Elvis's funeral in 1977. Hope you're not allergic!

A color photo of the flowers at Elvis's funeral. There is a giant classical mausoleum and wall, and a sea of flowers stretching in front of it.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, "Sports Illustrated" releases its first issue in 1954. That is a classy cover.

The cover of the first Sports Illustrated. It is a picture of a baseball batter swinging away, the catcher and umpire behind him. In the background are the spectators in a huge stadium. The magazine title are at the top in an orange classy font.

000

Gina Wilhelm @worksofginas.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

#OnThisDayInHistory, Malcolm Canmore kills King MacBeth in battle in 1057. Lady MacBeth's name was Gruoch, and the fact that that doesn't make it into the Scottish play is criminal.

A black-and-white drawing of two men, Malcolm and MacBeth, in battle. The one facing the viewer has a shield up over the lower part of his face and his sword drawn in front of the shield. his hair is loose and flowing. The other warrior has his sword raised over his head to strike, and holds a shield at his side. He wears a helmet. Both men wear kilts. There are wounded soldiers around them on the battleground.

000