We're getting excited for July 4th! Here are some fun facts about Independence Day...

Which three presidents died on the Fourth of July?
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. Adams, the second president, and Jefferson, the third president, both died on the same day in 1826.

Which president was born on the 4th of July?
Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president, in 1872.

When was the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence?
July 8, 1776. Actually, the Liberty Bell rang out from Independence Hall to summon the crowd.

When did Abraham Lincoln give his 1863, July 4th address?
On July 7, 1863. On July 4, citizens in Washington were celebrating what appeared to be a victory at Gettysburg and wanted Lincoln to give a speech but he would only issue a short proclamation. He was waiting to get a complete report and for further news out west, where General Grant was laying siege to Vicksburg. He later found out that Vicksburg had fallen on July 4th and Lincoln gave his speech three days late.

In what year did July 4 become a paid legal federal holiday?
It became an unpaid federal holiday in 1870. And a lot of trivia sites say that it became a paid holiday in 1941 but it was actually passed by congress in 1938.

How did Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island begin?
It started out as a dispute among four immigrants over who was the most patriotic.

What American President was famous for playing golf every Fourth of July?
Dwight D. Eisenhower.

What pitcher threw a no hitter on the fourth of July?
Dave Righetti of the NY Yankees in 1983. But perhaps the wildest game ever played happened on July 4 between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets. It went 19 innings and ended close to 4 AM. Mets won 16-13.