April 21

1519         Cortes lands in Mexico.

1836     Texans defeat the Mexican forces at San Jacinto leading to the independence of Texas.  While Mexican cauldillo Santa Ana did execute the document providing for Texas' independence following the battle, subsequent Mexican governments refused to acknowledge the validity of the act, noting that Santa Ana was a captive at the time.

 San Jacinto Monument, San Jacinto Battleground State Park, Texas
 

San Jacinto Monument as viewed from the USS Texas.

These are photographs of the San Jacinto Monument, erected at the location of the Battle of San Jacinto in Harris County, Texas. The monument is the largest masonry column in the world.

The monument commemorates the April 21, 1836 Battle of San Jacinto, which occurred on this location, and which secured Texas' independence from Mexico. It was built from 1936 to 1939 and includes inscriptions which relate the story of Texas obtaining independence.

 Fossils in the monument's limestone.

 Reflecting pool.

1871  Convicted murderer John Boyer hanged in Laramie, the first Wyomingite to be legally hanged.

1890   Newcastle Mayor Frank Mondell in leg by attacker.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1894  Norway adopts the Krag Jorgensen action for rifles and carbines, one of four countries, including the US, ultimately to do so.

1898  The U.S. North Atlantic Fleet ordered to blockade Cuba.

1906  Britain and US sign convention fixing the Canada-Alaska boundary at the 141st meridian.

1913 Former Territorial Governor John Osborne takes office as Assistant Secretary of State.

1914   U.S. Marines occupied Vera Cruz, Mexico.

1916  Bill Carlisle robs passengers on the Union Pacific train near Walcott, Wyo.  Attribution: Wyoming State Historical Society.

The Casper Weekly Press for Good Friday, April 21, 1916
 

1929  A fish from the Shoshoni consignment was used for President Hoover's breakfast. What sort of fish, or why, is left unexplained. Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1942   Anne Gorsuch Burford, first female administrator of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency, born in Casper.

1973  A 4.8 magnitude earthquake occurred between Lander and Jeffrey City.

2001  A 5.4 magnitude earthquake occurred about 50 miles from Jackson.

2011   Frank Ellis gave an interview to Casper College Students.

2012:

Today is Record Store Day for 2012.

 1960s themed Record Store Day poster, commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the store, Sonic Rainbow, in Casper.

Record Store Day is the third Saturday in April and commemorates independent record stores.

 2017  Wyoming became the 45th state to recognize the Armenian Genocide.