Today in History graphic for July 15 featuring Boeing, the first parking meter, the Apollo-Soyuz mission, and Twitter.

July 15 in History: Boeing Is Founded, the First Parking Meter Is Installed, and Twitter Launches

Scott Winters July 15, 2026 1 Comment

Discover what happened on July 15 in history, along with notable events, inventions, milestones, and moments that shaped America and the world.

What Happened on July 15 in History?

Important events on this day include the founding of Boeing, the installation of the nation’s first parking meter, the first close-up photos of Mars, the launch of Twitter, and the historic Apollo-Soyuz mission that marked the first joint U.S.-Soviet spaceflight.

JULY 15 – TODAY IN HISTORY:

1885 – Niagara Reservation State Park, in New York, opened.

1888 – “Printers’ Ink” was sold for the first time.

1901 – Over 74,000 Pittsburgh steel workers went on strike.

1916 – Pacific Aero Products was incorporated by William Boeing in Seattle, WA. The company was later renamed Boeing Co.

1922 – The duck-billed platypus arrived in America, direct from Australia. It was exhibited at the Bronx Zoo in New York, NY.

1935 – The country’s first parking meter was unveiled in Oklahoma City, OK on the corner of First Street and Robinson Avenue.

1936 – The Mercury, Michigan’s first streamlined passenger train began service on the New York Central System between Detroit, MI and Cleveland, OH. By November 1938, the Mercury was also operating between Detroit, MI and Chicago, IL.

1959 – Chubby Checker’s version of Hank Ballard and the Midnighters’ song “The Twist” became an instant #1 hit. Two years later, it hit #1 again.

1965 – The spacecraft Mariner IV sent back the first close-up pictures of the planet Mars.

1968 – ABC premiered the TV soap opera “One Life to Live”. The daytime soap opera stayed on the air until August 19th, 2013.

1975 – The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project featured the dual launch of an Apollo spacecraft and a Soyuz spacecraft on the first joint Soviet-United States crewed flight. It was both the last launch of an Apollo spacecraft and the Saturn family of rockets.

1975 – Michigan Attorney General Frank Kelley ruled that when a woman married she did not have to adopt her husband’s last name.

1981 – Steven Ford, son of President Gerald R. Ford, appeared in a seductive scene of TV’s “The Young and the Restless” on CBS. Ford played the part of Andy.

1985 – Baseball players voted to strike on August 6th if no contract was reached with baseball owners. The strike lasted just one day.

1988 – The movie “Die Hard”, starring Bruce Willis, was released in theaters.

1996 – MSNBC, a 24-hour all-news network, made its debut on cable TV and the Internet.

1997 – Fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot and killed outside his Miami, FL home by serial killer Andrew Cunanan.

1998 – The movie “There’s Something About Mary”, starring Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller, premiered in theaters.

2003 – AOL Time Warner disbanded Netscape. The Mozilla Foundation was established the same day.

2005 – Tim Burton’s film “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” premiered in theaters.

2005 – The movie “Wedding Crashers”, starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, premiered in theaters

2006 – Twitter was launched, becoming one of the largest social media platforms in the world.

2009 – The sixth Harry Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”, was released in theaters.

2011 – The final film in the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” was released in theaters. The film broke the one-day box-office record, hauling in $91,071,119 on its opening day.

2016 – The reboot of the movie “Ghostbusters, with mostly an all female cast, starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones, premiered in theaters.

2022 – Police in Germany were hunting for thieves that stole 500 cases of urinal cakes from a truck transporting them. The driver had parked to take a nap.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON JULY 15:

Stephen Smale – 96 years old (1930) – Mathematician and computer scientist

John Hopfield – 93 years old (1933) – Physicist and neuroscientist, 2024 Nobel laureate

Barry Goldwater – 88 years old (1938) – Jr. , American lawyer and politician

Millie Jackson – 82 years old (1944) – Singer-songwriter

Peter Lewis – 81 years old (1945) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Linda Ronstadt – 80 years old (1946) – Singer-songwriter, producer, and actress

Lydia Davis – 79 years old (1947) – Short story writer, novelist, and essayist

Artimus Pyle – 78 years old (1948) – Rock drummer and songwriter

Richard Russo – 77 years old (1949) – Novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter

Arianna Huffington – 76 years old (1950) – Greek-American journalist and publisher

Jesse Ventura – 75 years old (1951) – Wrestler, actor, and politician, 38th Governor of Minnesota

Terry O'Quinn – 74 years old (1952) – Actor

David Pack – 74 years old (1952) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

Marky Ramone – 74 years old (1952) – Drummer and songwriter

Alicia Bridges – 73 years old (1953) – Singer-songwriter

Giorgos Kaminis – 72 years old (1954) – American-Greek lawyer and politician, 78th Mayor of Athens

Joe Satriani – 70 years old (1956) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Mac McAnally – 69 years old (1957) – Singer-songwriter

Mac Thornberry – 68 years old (1958) – Lawyer and politician

Forest Whitaker – 65 years old (1961) – Actor

Adam Savage – 59 years old (1967) – Actor and special effects designer

Eddie Griffin – 58 years old (1968) – Comedian, actor, and producer

Jim Rash – 55 years old (1971) – Actor, comedian, and filmmaker

Scott Foley – 54 years old (1972) – Actor

John Dolmayan – 54 years old (1972) – Armenian-American drummer

Brian Austin Green – 53 years old (1973) – Actor

Cherry – 51 years old (1975) – Wrestler and manager

Steve Cunningham – 50 years old (1976) – Boxer

Gabriel Iglesias – 50 years old (1976) – Mexican-American comedian and voice actor

Lana Parrilla – 49 years old (1977) – Actress

John St. Clair – 49 years old (1977) – Football player

Ray Toro – 49 years old (1977) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Laura Benanti – 47 years old (1979) – Actress and singer

Reggie Abercrombie – 46 years old (1980) – Baseball player

Taylor Kinney – 45 years old (1981) – Actor

Salvatore Iovino – 43 years old (1983) – Racing driver

Heath Slater – 43 years old (1983) – Wrestler

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II – 40 years old (1986) – Actor

Kareem Rahma – 40 years old (1986) – Egyptian-American comedian, artist, and media entrepreneur

Aimee Carrero – 38 years old (1988) – Actress

Anthony Randolph – 37 years old (1989) – Basketball player

Tristan Wilds – 37 years old (1989) – Actor and singer-songwriter

Zach Bogosian – 36 years old (1990) – Ice hockey player

Damian Lillard – 36 years old (1990) – Basketball player

Tyler Young – 36 years old (1990) – Racing driver

Derrick Favors – 35 years old (1991) – Basketball player

Tobias Harris – 34 years old (1992) – Basketball player

Harrison Rhodes – 33 years old (1993) – Racing driver

Mason Dye – 32 years old (1994) – Actor

Noah Gragson – 28 years old (1998) – Racing driver

JuJu Watkins – 21 years old (2005) – Basketball player

Iain Armitage – 18 years old (2008) – Actor

DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR JULY 15:

National Hot Dog Day: Sink your teeth into a juicy, savory, grilled delight that's perfect for any occasion. It's the ultimate comfort food on-the-go!
National Gummi Worm Day: Get yourself a package of Gummi Worms, make a pudding-and-worms based “dirt parfait”, and make sure to share the tangy, fruit-flavored yumminess with everyone.
Blackcurrant Day: Embarking on a sensory journey, the deep, tart essence of these berries captivates taste buds with nature's vibrancy.
National Clean Beauty Day: Discover a beauty revolution, where products harmonize with nature, offering purity and radiance without compromise.
Glioblastoma Awareness Day: Shining a spotlight on a formidable adversary, raising awareness becomes a rallying call for collective understanding and action.
World Youth Skills Day: Equipping youth with essential life tools, paving paths toward success beyond the classroom, shaping promising futures.
National Orange Chicken Day: Head over to your favorite Chinese restaurant (or order in) and get yourself the classic Orange chicken, or try making your own chicken and Orange sauce.
Social Media Giving Day: Making meaningful impacts online, spreading kindness, and supporting causes through digital platforms, connecting hearts globally.
National Tapioca Pudding Day: Make them at home, or go out and try any number of Tapioca based treats and recipes, from a simple tapioca pudding to bread made with tapioca flour.
Arctic Sea Ice Day: An important day for polar bears as it represents their home, Arctic Sea Ice Day aims to help humans grow in their knowledge about sea ice and understand why it is such an important part of the environment! How to Celebrate Arctic Sea Ice Day Learn More About Sea Ice Get...
National Pet Fire Safety Day: Keep yourself and your furry friends safe by taking stock of potential pet-caused fire hazards, and puppy, kitty, or other pet-proofing your home.
National I Love Horses Day: Take some time to show how much horses are loved and appreciated for National I Love Horses Day! History of National I Love Horses Day Since the time humans began domesticating these creatures up to 6000 years ago, horses have played an important role in the culture and lives of...
International Stamp Out Spiking Day: Staying aware while having a good time is crucial. Protect yourself and friends by watching out for suspicious behavior.
Drina Regatta: Drina Regatta is a unique event held annually on the Drina River in Serbia. It is known as one of the largest and most popular water-based festivities in the region, and thousands of visitors come to enjoy a unique blend of tradition and entertainment. Although the highlight of the regatta...
National Respect Canada Day: National Respect Canada Day is a special occasion that encourages Canadians to appreciate and respect their country's diverse cultural mosaic. This day highlights the importance of showing respect, kindness, and understanding to everyone, regardless of their background. On this day, Canadians reaffirm their commitment to the values of inclusivity and...
National Be a Dork Day: For those who have felt like an outsider or like they just don’t fit in, National Be a Dork Day is the ideal time to embrace that inner dork and enjoy a day when everyone can be a dork! History of National Be a Dork Day Outcasts have probably been...
National Give Something Away Day: In this modern age where many people have more than enough, one way to help mitigate the problem of too much stuff has come to the rescue. It’s National Give Something Away Day! How to Celebrate National Give Something Away Day Many ways can be found to observe National Give...
Developmental Disability Professionals Day: Developmental Disability Professionals Day celebrates the people who support individuals with developmental challenges. These professionals include behavior analysts, case managers, service coordinators, and direct support staff. They shape lives by offering personalized help in housing, jobs, therapy, and daily tasks. They step in with care, patience, and inventiveness. That effort helps...
Take Your Poet to Work Day: Take Your Poet to Work Day adds a bit of fun to an ordinary workday. People bring along paper versions of their favorite poets—some cut out little figures, others print poems to pin at their desks. It’s simple and playful, but it tends to spark curiosity. Coworkers might ask who...
Celebration of the Horse Day: The bond between humans and horses runs deep, built on trust, steady movement, and quiet understanding. Horses listen without words, move with grace, and carry more than just riders. They hold space for emotion, growth, and connection. On Celebration of the Horse Day, people step into pastures or barns and feel...
Saint Swithin’s Day: Saint Swithin’s Day is a day rich in tradition and folklore. Many believe the weather on this day can predict future patterns, sparking interest and conversation. It has become a symbol of hope or dread, depending on the forecast. People across the country pay close attention to the skies, adding...
Fiesta de la Tirana: Fiesta de la Tirana is a vibrant celebration held in northern Chile. It transforms the small town of La Tirana into a bustling center of energy, color, and sound. Thousands of people come together, filling the streets with traditional costumes, lively dances, and rhythmic music. It's a festival where faith...
Galway International Arts Festival: The Galway International Arts Festival is a vibrant celebration of creativity that takes over the city of Galway each year. This event brings together artists, performers, and visitors from around the globe for two weeks of music, theatre, dance, visual arts, and more. The festival transforms Galway into a hub of...