August 26

Scott Winters, Realtor

A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.

 

TODAY IN HISTORY:

1791 – John Fitch was granted a U.S. Patent for the steamboat.

1873 – The first public kindergarten in the United States was authorized by the school board of St. Louis, MO.

1895 – The Edward Dean Adams Power Plant went into operation at Niagara Falls

1920 – The 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect. The amendment prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in the voting booth.

1939 – The first televised major league baseball games were shown. The event was a double-header between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1957 – The first Edsel, made by the Ford Motor Company, rolled of the assembly line.

1961 – The International Hockey Hall of Fame opened in Toronto, Canada.

1973 – The University of Texas became the first school to offer a course in belly dancing.

1987 – Sonny Bono announced that he was running for Mayor of Palm Springs, his first political office. He ended up getting elected for the position.

1987 – The Fuller Brush Company announced plans to open two retail stores in Dallas, TX. Previously, the company had sold its products door to door for 81 years.

1992 – Mike Ilitch purchased the Detroit Tigers from Tom Monaghan. Ilitch paid $85 million for the team.

1998 – Microsoft was under investigation by the U.S. government to discover if they “bullied” Intel into delaying new technology.

2009 – The narrowest house in New York City — only 9½ feet across — went up for sale. It was listed for $2.75 million.

2011 – The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing’s all new composite airliner, received certification from the EASA and the FAA.

2015 – Two journalists were shot and killed by a disgruntled former coworker while conducting a live report in Moneta, Virginia.

2018 – Three people were killed and eleven wounded during a mass shooting at a Madden NFL ’19 video game tournament in Jacksonville, Florida.

 

BIRTHDAYS:

Tom Ridge – 80 a old (1945) – First Director of the Office of Homeland Security

Valerie Simpson – 79 a old (1946) – Singer (Ashford and Simpson)

Branford Marsalis – 65 a old (1960) – Jazz saxophonist

Chris Burke – 60 a old (1965) – Actor (Played Corky on TV’s “Life Goes On”)

Adrian Young – 56 a old (1969) – Drummer (No Doubt)

Melissa McCarthy – 55 a old (1970) – Actress (“Spy”, “The Hangover, Part 3”, “Bridesmaids”, “Identity Thief”, TV’s “Mike and Molly”, “Gilmore Girls”)

Macaulay Culkin – 45 a old (1980) – Actor (“Home Alone” movies, “Uncle Buck”, “Party Monster”)

Chris Pine – 45 a old (1980) – Actor (Played James T. Kirk in the new “Star Trek” movies)

 

TODAY IS:

Today's special observances are temporarily unavailable. Please check back soon.

 

For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.

I’ve always been the kind of person who notices the things other people overlook — strange roadside attractions, forgotten pieces of history, interesting places, odd trends, and the little things in everyday life that make you laugh and say, “Wait... when did that become normal?” This blog is where I share those discoveries. Some days you might learn something fascinating from history. Other days I’ll take you along on a road trip, share a weird story from Michigan’s past, or simply rant about something in modern life that makes absolutely no sense. No matter what, my goal is simple: keep things interesting!

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