1. On May 21, 1780, the Battle of Connecticut Farms took place in Union Township. This Revolutionary War battle saw British troops successfully attack and destroy much of the town after a failed American attempts to defend it.
2. The first high school graduation in the United States took place in New Brunswick on May 21, 1793. Two students graduated from the school, which was known as Queen's College at the time.
3. On May 21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh completed the world's first solo nonstop flight from New York to Paris. Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field on Long Island and landed in Paris the following day, becoming an instant hero and celebrity.
4. The first boardwalk in the United States was opened on May 21, 1870, in Atlantic City. Initially constructed to keep sand out of hotels and shops, the boardwalk quickly became a popular destination for beachgoers and tourists.
5. On May 21, 1968, the township of East Brunswick became the first in the United States to require new homes to have centralized air conditioning. This requirement proved to be popular and eventually became a widespread practice across the country.