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PAGE 52 www.OverTheHumpSaver.com July 2026

100 YEARS AGO: HISTORICAL

EVENTS FROM JULY 1926

T he month of July has
been home to many
historical events
over the years.
Here’s a look at
some that helped to
shape the world in July 1926.

Canadian Prime Minister Arthur
Meighen’s two-day-old government washroom. The anonymous writer stroke on July 10. With the victory,
is defeated in Parliament by one vote implies that Valentino is responsible Jones becomes the first golfer to win
on July 1. Many of Meighen’s fellow for the feminization of American both th British Open and the U.S.
Conservatives voted against him. men. Valentino challenges the writer Open in the same year.

to a boxing or wrestling match the
Mexican President Plutarco Elías following day in an essay published King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy takes
Calles publishes the Calles Law on in the Chicago Herald-Examiner, but a boy who had just been hit by a train
July 2. The law mandated that all
church property become government the anonymous author did not come into his car on July 13. The boy dies
property and that all worship be forward. in the vehicle while the King’s car is
conducted inside churches under the rushing him to the hospital.
supervision of local officials. Twenty-one Mexican prisoners
escape from Blue Ridge State Prison Linton Wells and Edward Steptoe
Less than two weeks after an Farm in Blue Ridge, Texas, on July Evans complete their flight around
attempted coup d’état against the 4. The prisoners escaped by sawing the world on July 14. The pilots
government of Prime Minister Miguel their way through the main building accomplish the feat in 28 days, 14
Primo de Rivera, King Alfonso XIII of of the prison. hours and 37 minutes, breaking the
Spain issues a royal decree on July 3. record of 35 days set in 1913.
The decree grants Primo de Rivera an On July 6, French Finance Minister
assortment of discretionary powers, Joseph Caillaux speaks before the On July 18, U.S. Marine Corps
including the right to banish and Chamber of Deputies and asks for Gunnery Sergeant Faustin E. Wirkus
deport persons for the good of the emergency powers to address the is crowned as “King Faustin II” while
country. country’s economic problems. The stationed on Haiti’s Gonâve Island
request is attacked in the chamber during the American occupation of
Knoebels Amusement Resort in the following day. the Caribbean nation.
Elysburg, Pennsylvania, opens on
July 4. The amusement park is the A bolt of lightning strikes the Lake Eleven tourists on a sightseeing bus
largest in the United States to have Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot to Bear Mountain State Park in New
no admission fee, as rides are paid in New Jersey on July 10. A resulting York are killed on July 22 when the
for individually. fire causes several million pounds driver runs off a curve while driving
of explosives to blow up over the downhill off the mountain. The bus
An editorial published in the Chicago ensuing three days, killing 19 people rolls over three times before crashing
Daily Tribune on July 18 accuses and destroying 187 buildings. into a building, and the driver is
actor Rudolph Valentino of being eventually charged with 11 counts of
responsible for the installation of a Golfer Bobby Jones wins the U.S. vehicular homicide.
face-powder dispenser in a men’s Open in Columbus, Ohio, by a single