EIFFEL TOWER LOST TITLE IN 1930

The Eiffel Tower held a 41-year reign as the world’s tallest building from 1889 until 1930, when the Chrysler Building was constructed in New York City.

The weather forecast on April 3, 1974, called for showers on the East Coast and thunderstorms across the Midwest. Instead, the century’s second-worst storm on record unleashed 148 tornadoes in 24 hours, killing 315 and injuring more than 5,000.

The cost of a first-class U.S. stamp doesn’t always go up. In 1919, Congress lowered the rate from 3 cents to 2. The price didn’t go back up to 3 cents until 1932.

On his last day in office, President Richard Nixon had a breakfast of corned beef hash and a poached egg.

The climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty takes 354 steps, the equivalent of about 22 floors.

Being the world’s fastest roller coaster is a fleeting honor. The $25 million Top Thrill Dragster opened in May 2003 at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It reaches a top speed of 120 miles per hour. But the Jackson, N.J., Six Flags Great Adventure stole Sandusky’s thunder this year with the opening of The Kindga Ka, a roller coaster that hits speeds of up to 128 mph.