March 8, 2022 - National Oregon Day | International Women's Day

Welcome to March 8th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a magical state and women who make history. In downtown Portland, you’ll find the smallest park in the world—a patch of land only 2 feet across. The land was once intended for a street light, but the light was never installed. The empty site caught the eye of journalist Dick Fagan, who wrote a column and dubbed the place Mill Ends Park. It features a tiny swimming pool, statues, and a mini Ferris wheel. Mill Ends is also home to the only leprechaun colony outside of Ireland. Unfortunately, the leprechauns are invisible. On National Oregon Day, we celebrate the Beaver State and all its weird and wonderful sights, from Crater Lake to leprechauns. Not all women are famous for both beauty and brains but Austrian born, Heddy Lamar possessed both. While Hollywood honored her film career with a star on the Walk of Fame in 1960, she was also known for her work as an inventor. At the start of World War II Heddy and composer George Antheil developed a radio guidance system that armed Allied torpedoes with anti jamming capability. The principles of their work were eventually used in creating GPS and Bluetooth technology, and Lamar was later inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014. On International Women’s Day, we honor women around the world who make their mark by making history right where they stand. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices