Roaring Revelations: Top 12 Unbelievable Fun Facts from 1927 You Won't Believe!

1. Muddy Waters and the Great Flood

Muddy Waters' lesser-known tune, "The Great Mississippi Blues": The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 wreaked havoc on African American communities, with over half a million losing their homes and becoming refugees, ultimately accelerating the Great Migration.
Source => nmaahc.si.edu

2. Iron Lung to the Rescue

Before Iron Man saved the day, there was the Iron Lung swooping in for the rescue: A fascinating contraption invented in 1927 by Philip Drinker and Louis Agassiz Shaw, the Iron Lung was used to temporarily manage respiratory failure caused by poliomyelitis, proving that artificial respiration could help prolong life, even for an eight-year-old girl at the Boston Children's Hospital in 1928!
Source => uen.pressbooks.pub

Did you know the origin of Disney's famous 101 Dalmatians has a deeper history? 🐾 Discover the courageous canine tale from 1956 that inspired the iconic film!

=> Fun Facts about The-Year-1950

3. Farewell, Model T, Hello Model A

Hold on to your bonnets, folks, because we're taking a joyride down memory lane: In 1927, the Ford Motor Company bid a fond farewell to the iconic Model T as Henry and Edsel Ford drove the fifteen-millionth car off the Highland Park Plant assembly line in Michigan, making way for the sleek and shiny Model A to take the wheel of innovation and progress.
Source => thehenryford.org

4. The Dam Fine Hoover Dam

What do you get when you throw one monumental construction project, a river with a temper, and a persistent itch to generate power into a blender? A dam fine concoction: In 1928, Congress approved the Hoover Dam's construction near Black Canyon, aiming to provide irrigation water, control the Colorado River's wild floods and generate hydroelectric power. Despite the project's challenges, it was completed in 1936, two years ahead of schedule, and now boasts a whopping 7 million visitors every year!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. The Jazz Singer's Toe-Tapping Tech

Hold onto your hats, folks, because it's time for a blast from the past that's sure to make you sing: In 1927, The Jazz Singer was released featuring the revolutionary Vitaphone system, which synchronized recorded music with movie films, though the film itself remained silent with only a few snippets of lip-synchronous singing and speech – not quite the first "talkie" film, but toe-tappingly close!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Lindbergh's Sky-High Boom

Pilots everywhere were shaking in their aviator boots as Charles Lindbergh single-handedly propelled the aviation industry to soaring heights: In 1927, right after Lindbergh's groundbreaking solo flight across the Atlantic on his trusty steed, the Spirit of St. Louis, the world witnessed the birth of the "Lindbergh boom," which sent aircraft stocks skyrocketing and turned public fascination with flying into a frenzy.
Source => pioneersofflight.si.edu

7. Otto's Slicing Sensation

Who needs a slapstick comedy when you can have a "slice-tick" revolution? Otto the Breadinator brought forth a slicing sensation in the great year of 1927: Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the first automatic bread-slicing machine for commercial use, which by 1933, had American bakeries producing more sliced than unsliced bread loaves, earning him seven patents and a spot in the renowned Smithsonian Institution.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Earthquake Giggles in the Middle East

When the earth couldn't stop laughing in the Middle East: In 1927, a monumental 6.3 magnitude earthquake rumbled for five seconds, leading to widespread calamity in Jericho, Jerusalem, and Nablus – causing around 300 to 500 fatalities, rendering numerous houses uninhabitable, damaging historical sites like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and al-Aqsa Mosque, and affecting even Transjordan with 80 people killed in one city.
Source => israeled.org

9. Oswald's Rabbit Run

Before Oswald hopped away, Disney had a falling-out with his lucky rabbit's foot: In 1927, Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks had created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for Universal Pictures, but a contractual dispute in 1928 turned Oswald into a runaway critter, paving the way for a new creation - Mickey Mouse. In a twist of fate, Walt's prodigal bunny returned to the fold when Disney reacquired the trademark for Oswald in 2006, and now the once forgotten hare frolics in video games, theme parks, and a 2022 Disney-produced short.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Woolworth Building's Tall Tale

Sink your teeth into this slice of history: In 1927, the Woolworth Building was already a towering symbol of American architecture, having held the crown of the world's tallest building for a whopping 14 years – construction started back in 1910, and the doors swung wide-open in 1913, creating a New York icon that stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Babe Ruth's Record-Breaking Swing

Leaning into a "Ruthlessly" good swing, Babe Ruth knocked America's pastime out of the park and into the hands of a lucky truck driver: In 1927, the Sultan of Swat hit his record-breaking 60th home run against the Washington Senators, with Joe Forner catching the ball and later getting it signed by the legendary Bambino himself.
Source => baseballhall.org

12. Predicting the Future with Piatiletka

Who needs a crystal ball when you've got a children's book to predict the future?: In 1927, the Soviet Union rolled out their First Five-Year Plan, and by 1930, a kiddie's book named Piatiletka was published, complete with maps and images, to indoctrinate young minds on how they'd collectivize agriculture and boost heavy industries like a communist version of Captain Planet.
Source => lib.uchicago.edu