Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 December 13

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Today's featured article
The Cogan House Covered Bridge is a Burr arch truss covered bridge over Larrys Creek in Cogan House Township, Lycoming County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It was built in 1877 and is 94 feet 2 inches (28.7 m) long. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and had a major restoration in 1998. The Cogan House bridge is named for the township and village of Cogan House. The covered bridge was constructed by a millwright who assembled the timber framework in a field next to the sawmill, before it was reassembled at the bridge site. It was the only bridge on Larrys Creek that survived the flood of June 1889, and one of only a handful that were left intact in the county. Although the bridge used to carry a steady flow of tannery and sawmill traffic, the clearcutting of the surrounding forests meant the end of those industries by the early 20th century. Since then much of the surrounding area has reverted to second growth forest, and the one-lane bridge is now on a dead end road in a remote valley with little traffic. (more...) Recently featured: Gillingham Football Club – Californication – Norwich Market Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Ghirlandaio's An Old Man and his Grandson (detail pictured) portrays a man with a deformed nose sympathetically, in contrast to theories of the era by which external deformities imply character defects? ... that the Left Column theater troupe left Germany on the eve of Nazism only to lose many members to the Stalinist purges? ... that Wroniec, a dark fairy tale by Jacek Dukaj, was a taboo-breaking take on martial law in Poland, which was in effect from 13 December 1981? ... that Bat-El Gatterer, Israeli women's taekwondo champion, is a religiously observant Jew who was born in the West Bank? ... that during Royce White's two-and-a-half-year hiatus from competitive basketball, he spent time on his music career and learned how to play the piano? ... that in November 1921, the schooner *Cymric* collided with a tram in Dublin? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
The Constituent Assembly of Tunisia elects Moncef Marzouki as the President of Tunisia. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, closes with an agreement to establish a new treaty to limit carbon emissions. Allegations of flaws in the Russian legislative elections trigger the country's largest protests (pictured) since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Iran files a formal complaint to the UN Security Council regarding a U.S. RQ-170 Sentinel aircraft seized within its territory. The National Basketball Association lockout ends with a collective bargaining agreement between players and owners. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
December 13: Saint Lucy's Day; Republic Day in Malta (1974) 1643 – First English Civil War: Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller led a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison of Royalist infantry and cavalry. 1809 – American physician Ephraim McDowell performed the world's first removal of an ovarian tumor. 1937 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Japanese forces captured Nanjing in China and then began to commit numerous atrocities over the next several weeks. 1960 – With Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie out of the country, four conspirators staged a coup attempt and installed Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen as the new Emperor. 1981 – Polish Prime Minister Wojciech Jaruzelski (pictured) declared martial law, suspended Solidarity and imprisoned many union leaders. More anniversaries: December 12 – December 13 – December 14 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now December 13, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The Three Sisters is a sandstone rock formation in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, near the town of Katoomba. It is a popular bushwalking destination and visitors may descend from the Three Sisters down into the Jamison Valley via a series of 800 steel and stone steps.

Photo: JJ Harrison

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