1608 – John Smith elected president of Jamestown Colony Council, Va.
1776 – George Washington asks for a spy volunteer, Nathan Hale volunteers.
1846 – Elias Howe takes out a patent for the sewing machine.
1910 – Great Idaho fire destroys 3 million acres of timber.
1913 – Lincoln Highway opens as 1st paved coast-to-coast highway.
1919 – NYC welcomes home Gen. John J. Pershing & 25,000 WWI soldiers.
1932 – Independent City Owned Rapid Transit Railroad (IND) opens in NYC.
1953 – Swanson sells its 1st “TV dinner”
1955 – “Gunsmoke premieres on CBS TV.
1960 – NY Yankee Mickey Mantle hits 643 ‘ home run over right field roof in Detroit.
1962 – 82nd U.S. Men’s National Championship: Rod Laver beats Roy Emerson (6-2, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4)
1963 – Stan Musial hits a HR in his 1st at bat as a grandfather.
1965 – WUND TV channel 2 in Columbia, NC (PBS) begins broadcasting.
1966 – Neil Diamond’s 1st chart song (Cherry Cherry)
1973 – Muhammad Ali defeats Ken Norton.
1984 – First episode of daily syndicated version of Jeopardy! with Alex Trebek as host.
1990 – Ellis Island reopens as a museum.
1990 – Hard Rock Café opens in Las Vegas, Nevada.
1991 – Senate Committee begins hearings on Clarence Thomas’ nomination to Supreme Court.
1997 – Discovery buys Travel Channel for $20 million.