 By the close of the fabulous 1950s Henkels & McCoy's telephone work has
made important inroads into Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Nebraska,
Kansas, Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and California.
Crews in Florida also keep busy working on radar installations throughout
that state...Closer to home base in Pennsylvania, three major
contracts add to our success. Henkels & McCoy works for Philadelphia
Electric's nuclear power plant at Peach Bottom in Maryland, as well as
improving the electrical system and installing a closed circuit television
system for the Delaware River Port Authority. The third major contract was
for the installation of a telephone switching center for the United States
State Department in Washington, DC... Topping off the decade, Henkels &
McCoy receives the prestigious American Nurseryman Association Award for
the planting done at Philadelphia Electric’s Bala station. This is one of
many such awards that H&M will receive in years to come.
January 1
President Eisenhower is Time magazine's Man of the Year for 1959.
 January 1
Cuban leader Batista overthrown by Fidel Castro (right).
January 3
Did Juneau the capital of the new state? Alaska becomes the 49th State.
February 6
US conducts first successful test firing of intercontinental ballistic
missile.
 February 16
Fidel Castro becomes Cuban president.
March 9
Anatomically impossible, Barbie Dolls available for the first time. If
Barbie were a real person she would be over seven feet tall and suffering
from extreme back pain.
March 18
Way is paved for Hawaiian statehood as President Eisenhower signs bill.
April 25
St. Lawrence Seaway opens for shipping.
July 4
New US flag including Alaska as 49th state unveiled in
Philadelphia.
 July
23
EAST MEETS WEST
Richard Nixon arrives in USSR for a goodwill trip lasting nine days.
July 24
Famous "kitchen debate" between Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet
Premier Nikita Khrushchev takes place in a General Electric tradeshow
exhibit in Moscow. They have been, on the face of it, good naturedly
sparring back and forth since Nixon arrives, trading jabs and barbs
against each other's political and economic systems... Excerpt:
Nixon: "This is
the newest model (GE appliance). This is the kind which is built in
thousands of units for direct installation in the houses... Our steel
workers, as you know, are on strike. But any steel worker could buy this
house. They earn $3 an hour. This house costs about $100 a month to buy on
a contract running 25 to 30 years."
Khrushchev: "The Americans have created
their own image of the Soviet man and thinks he is as you want him to be.
But he is not as you think. You think the Russian people will be
dumfounded to see these things, but the fact is that newly built Russian
houses have all this equipment right now. Moreover, all you have to do to
get a house is to be born in the Soviet Union... Yet you say that we are
slaves to communism."
August 7
United States continues Explorer space program with launch of Explorer VI
in Florida.
August 21
Hawaii becomes the 50th State.
September 15
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev visits the US. He reacts angrily during
a visit to Los Angeles upon being told that, for security reasons, he will
not be allowed to visit Disneyland.
 November 2
Quiz show scandal explodes as contestant admits to congressional committee
that he was receiving questions and answers ahead of time.
November 19
Ford Motor Company discontinues Edsel. Shown at left is the Thunderbird.
December 1
Antarctic Treaty, designating Antarctica as scientific preserve off limits
to military activity, signed by twelve countries including US and Soviet
union.
December 29
Baltimore Colts trample the NY Giants in an NFL Championship rematch
31-16.
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