This Day in History August 20

A Dane named Vitus Bering working for the Russians found Alaska in 1741. I'm sure that Vitus had no idea what a great treasure he had uncovered. Our younger daughter, Vicki, moved to Alaska in 1988 and except for occasional visits to the "lower 48" made that her home. I have other relatives who made and lost their fortunes in Alaska. One year when we had our only family reunion on my father's side of the family, one of my great-uncles brought smoked salmon to the reunion. Everybody raved over how good it was. I never eat smoked salmon without thinking of Uncle Clarence Pearson and what he brought that day. Last year for Christmas Vicki had king crab legs shipped in. We had a feast on them because only Vicki and I would eat them. So I just want to thank Vitus, who must be a cousin somewhere along the line. Of course we did not completely forget him. The stretch of water between Alaska and Russia is now known as "The Bering Straits."

On a sadder note, on this day in history in 1619 the first slaves were brought to Jamestown. What started there we have never recovered from.