February 06

Thomas C. Durant was vice president of the Union Pacific Railroad and a driving force behind the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad. He used bold financial strategies to fund and expand rail lines across the American West. Durant co-founded the Crédit Mobilier construction company, which later became central to one of the nation's most infamous political scandals. His vision and risk-taking helped transform the U.S. transportation network, accelerating westward development and commerce. Despite controversy, his impact on American railroad history remains profound.

Isidor Straus was born in 1845 in Otterberg, Germany, and emigrated to the United States as a child. He became co-owner and director of Macy's department store, helping transform it into a retail empire in New York. Straus served one term in the US House of Representatives from 1894 to 1895, representing New York. In 1912, he and his wife Ida famously chose to remain together and died when the Titanic sank. Their story endures as a testament to love and loyalty amid one of history's greatest maritime tragedies.