Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 June 1

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Today's featured article
The Johnstown Inclined Plane is an 896.5-foot (273.3 m) funicular railway in Johnstown, Cambria County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The funicular is capable of carrying passengers and automobiles up or down a slope with a grade of 70.9 percent. The incline and its two stations connect the city of Johnstown, situated in a valley at the confluence of the Stonycreek and the Little Conemaugh Rivers, to the borough of Westmont on Yoder Hill. The travel time from one station to the other is 90 seconds. After a catastrophic flood in 1889, the Inclined Plane was constructed in 1891 to serve as an escape route for future floods, a task which it has fulfilled twice; once in 1936 and again in 1977. It was operated by Cambria Iron Company and its successor Bethlehem Steel until 1935, when it was sold to the borough of Westmont. The incline was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and was designated a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1994. It had major renovations in 1962 and from 1983 to 1984. (more...) Recently featured: Gianni Schicchi – Charles Holden – Deinonychus Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that past and present churches in Arun, West Sussex, include one in the grounds of a luxury hotel, one in a former Penny School, one (pictured) that became a market, and a "strangely towered" one? ... that the rare Louisiana pancake batfish only lives in the area affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? ... that imprisoned IRA member Larry Marley helped mastermind the Maze Prison escape in 1985, but did not take part in it? ... that the Silver Spurs Rodeo, billed as the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi River, was originally organized to encourage the purchase of war bonds? ... that the Christian Council of Ghana, an umbrella group that unites 15 churches, was formed in 1929? ... that the discography of Case Closed contains 77 singles and 19 soundtrack albums during the anime's 15 year run? ... that Áed in Macáem Tóinlesc ("the lazy-rumped lad"), sometime king of Tír Eogain, got his nickname by refusing to stand for the High King of Ireland Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
A man speaking on a mobile telephone The World Health Organization classifies radiation from mobile phones (example pictured) as "possibly carcinogenic to humans". One of the largest outbreaks of E. coli recorded in Germany strikes several European countries. Germany permanently closes eight nuclear plants and announces plans to abandon nuclear power by 2022. President of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh dies from complications of surgery in Moscow. In auto racing, Sebastian Vettel wins the Monaco Grand Prix and Dan Wheldon wins the Indianapolis 500. A referendum to introduce divorce passes in Malta. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
June 1: Jerusalem Day (Israel, 2011); International Children's Day 1670 – Charles II and Louis XIV signed a secret treaty, wherein England would aid France in its war against the Dutch Republic in return for French assistance in England's attempt to rejoin the Roman Catholic Church. 1916 – Louis Brandeis (pictured) became the first Jew to be appointed to the United States Supreme Court. 1942 – World War II: The crews of three Japanese Ko-hyoteki class submarines scuttled and committed suicide after entering Sydney Harbour and launching a failed attack. 1980 – CNN, the first network to provide 24-hour television news coverage, was launched. 2001 – Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal killed King Birendra and several members of the Shah royal family in a shooting spree at the Narayanhity Royal Palace in Kathmandu. 2009 – En route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, Air France Flight 447 appeared to vanish completely from radar, plunging into the Atlantic Ocean and killing all 228 aboard. More anniversaries: May 31 – June 1 – June 2 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now June 1, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Helen Keller (1880–1968) was a deafblind American author, political activist, and lecturer. The story of how Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, broke through the isolation imposed by a near complete lack of language, allowing the girl to blossom as she learned to communicate, has become widely known through the dramatic depictions of the play and film The Miracle Worker. A prolific author, Keller was well-traveled, and was outspoken in her opposition to war. A member of the Socialist Party of America and the Industrial Workers of the World, she campaigned for women's suffrage, workers' rights, and socialism, as well as many other leftist causes.

Photo: Unknown; Restoration: Lise Broer

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