In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the rowing crew makes it to the top, a senior makes a major fossil discovery, and more.

July 8, 1956—Princeton’s Crew beats England’s Royal Air Force in the final round of the international Thames Cup race, earning Princeton the designation of the best lightweight rowing crew in the world.

Princeton competes in the Thames Cup race, July 1956. Princeton University Rowing Collection (AC223), Box 1.

July 9, 1776—The Declaration of Independence is read in Nassau Hall.

July 11, 1992—Princeton staffer Robert Lafond of Computing and Information Technology (now the Office of Information Technology/OIT) begins his seventh eight-day bike ride of 500 miles across five states to raise money for a shelter for abused children.

July 12, 1979—Princeton senior Fran A. Tannenbaum ’80 discovers fossilized dinosaur eggs on a paleontology expedition in Montana. They are the first nest of whole dinosaur eggs ever found in North America.

John R. “Jack” Horner, a geology department research assistant who led Princeton’s 1979 paleontology expedition in Montana, shows off the dinosaur eggs Fran A. Tannenbaum ’80 discovered. Office of Communications Records (AC168), Box 145.

For last week’s installment in this series, click here.

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