May
May 9
Transcontinental Railroad Completed
The Golden Spike, the final spike need to complete the Pacific Railroad, was hammered in at Promontory Point near Ogden, Utah.
May 13
Lewis & Clark Expedition
The first U.S. government-funded exploration of the western wilderness – primarily covering the area added to the United States through the Louisiana Purchase.
May 18
Mount St. Helens erupts
Mount St. Helens is an active volcano in the Cascade Mountains of the Washington state in the northwestern United States. It erupted early in the morning on May 18, 1980.
May 19
Homestead Act is passed by U.S. Congress
The Homestead Act encouraged settlement of the western half of the United States by providing a low cost way for families to acquire land for small farms.
May 22
Crater Lake National Park established
Theodore Roosevelt authorized the creation of Crater Lake National Park in 1902 to protect this unique lake and its surrounding forests.
May 23
The Brooklyn Bridge is Completed
The Brooklyn Bridge was the largest suspension bridge in the world when it was completed in 1883.