March 1903

Monday 02:

In New York City the Martha Washington Hotel opens, becoming the first hotel exclusively for women.

Saturday 14:

Theodore Roosevelt issues an executive order making Pelican Island, in Florida, a “preserve and breeding ground for native birds,” marking the birth of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Monday 23:

The Wright Brothers apply for a patent on their invention of one of the first successful airplanes after much hard work.

Tuesday 31:

Richard Pearse reportedly flies a heavier-than-air machine in powered flight near Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, New Zealand; some claim 1902