On this day, June 26
1925 The Philadelphia Co. dedicated its new $3.5 million building, on Sixth Avenue, Downtown, and President Arthur W. Thompson announced a five-year, $100 million utility improvement program. 1957 Plans were made for the merger of Pittsburgh Xenia Theological Seminary (Presbyterian), North Highland Avenue, and the Western Theological Seminary (Presbyterian), Ridge Avenue, North Side. 1977 Elvis Presley performed his last concert, at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis.
1987 Ground was broken for construction of the $503 million Greater Pittsburgh International Airport’s new midfield terminal. 1997 The first Harry Potter novel, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling, was published in the United Kingdom. (It was later released in the United States under the title “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”) 2020 After protesters in Washington, D.C., attempted to pull down a statue of Andrew Jackson, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to protect monuments, memorials and statues.
Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).
— Compiled by Rick Nowlin Today’s birthdays: Jazz musician-film composer Dave Grusin, 88. Actor Josef Sommer, 88. Singer Billy Davis Jr., 84. Rock singer Georgie Fame, 79. Actor Clive Francis, 76. R&B singer Brenda Holloway, 76. Actor Michael Paul Chan, 72. Actor Robert Davi, 71. Singer-musician Mick Jones, 67. Actor Gedde Watanabe, 67. Rock singer Chris Isaak, 66. Rock singer Patty Smyth, 65. Singer Terri Nunn (Berlin), 63. U.S. Bicycling Hall of Famer Greg LeMond, 61. Country musician Eddie Perez (The Mavericks), 54. Rock musician Colin Greenwood (Radiohead), 53. Writerdirector Paul Thomas Anderson, 52. Actor Sean Hayes, 52. Actor Matt Letscher, 52. Actor Chris O’Donnell, 52. Actor Nick Offerman, 52. Actor Rebecca Budig, 49. Baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, 48. Contemporary Christian musician Jeff Frankenstein (Newsboys), 48. Country singer Gretchen Wilson, 48. Rock musician Nathan Followill (Kings of Leon), 43. Poprock singer-musician Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic), 43. Actor-musician Jason Schwartzman, 42. Actor Aubrey Plaza, 38. Actor-singer Jennette McCurdy, 30. Actorsinger Ariana Grande, 29.
Thought for today: “When I was a young man I vowed never to marry until I found the ideal woman. Well, I found her — but, alas, she was waiting for the perfect man.”
— Robert Schuman, French statesman
(1886-1963)