The Joseph Priestley House was the American home of 18th-century British theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, educator, and political theorist Joseph Priestley from 1798 until his death in 1804. Located in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, the house, which was designed by Priestley's wife Mary, is Georgian with Federalist accents. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has operated it as a museum dedicated to Joseph Priestley since 1970, but may close it by July 2009 due to low visitation and budget cuts. Fleeing religious persecution and political turmoil in Britain, the Priestleys emigrated to the United States in 1794 seeking a peaceful life. Hoping to avoid the political troubles that had plagued them in Britain and the problems of urban life they saw in the United States, the Priestleys built a house in rural Pennsylvania; nevertheless, political disputes and family troubles dogged Priestley during the last ten years of his life. In 1960s, the house was carefully restored by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and designated a National Historic Landmark. A second renovation was undertaken in the 1990s to return the home to the way it looked during Priestley's time.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Priestley_House

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1025:

Bolesław I Chrobry became the first King of Poland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boles%C5%82aw_I_Chrobry

1506:

Construction of the current St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, to replace the old St. Peter's Basilica built in the 4th century, began. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter%27s_Basilica

1906:

A major earthquake and resulting fires devastated San Francisco, killing at least 3,000 and leaving more than half of the city's population homeless. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake

1942:

World War II: Sixteen B-25 Mitchell bombers from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet carried out the Doolittle Raid, the first Allied attack on the Japanese home islands. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_Raid

1983:

A suicide bomber destroyed the United States Embassy in Beirut with a car bomb, killing over 60 people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_United_States_Embassy_bombing

1996:

Israeli forces shelled Qana, Lebanon during Operation Grapes of Wrath, killing over 100 civilians and injuring over 110 others at a UN compound. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_shelling_of_Qana

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

factotum (n): 1. (dated) A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.

2. (dated) A general servant http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/factotum

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man's freedom. You can only be free if I am free. --Clarence Darrow http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Clarence_Darrow