Today In History...
In 1536 The Argentine city of Buenos Aires is founded by Pedro de Mendoza of Spain.
In 1653 New Amsterdam, present-day New York City is incorporated.
In 1848 The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed ending the Mexican War and setting up the purchase of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California for $15 million from Mexico.
In 1870 The Cardiff Giant, supposedly the petrified remains of a human discovered on a farm in Cardiff, NY, is revealed to be nothing more than carved gypsum.
In 1876 The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs is formed in New York with 8 teams.
In 1880 The first successful shipment of frozen mutton arrives in London from Australia.
In 1893 The first movie close-up is filmed at the Edison studio in West Orange, NJ, as cameraman William Dickson photographs comedian Fred Ott sneezing.
In 1912 Frederick R. Law jumps with a parachute from the torch of the Statue of Liberty in a stunt filmed by Pathe News.
In 1914 The Cub Scouts of America is formed.
In 1935 A lie detector is first used in a court in Portage, Wisconsin.
In 1942 A Los Angeles Times column urges security measures against Japanese-Americans, arguing that a Japanese-American "almost inevitably... grows up to be Japanese, not an American."
In 1943 The remainder of Nazi forces from the Battle of Stalingrad surrender in a major victory for the Soviets during World War II.
In 1945 During World War II, President Roosevelt, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill depart Malta for the summit in Yalta with Soviet leader Josef Stalin.
In 1961 The 600 passengers of a hijacked Portuguese ocean liner, the Santa Maria, are allowed to disembark in Brazil.
In 1962 8 of the 9 planets in Earth's solar system are aligned for the first time in 400 years.
In 1971 Idi Amin assumes power in Uganda, following a coup that ousts President Milton Obote.
In 1980 Reports surface that the FBI had conducted a sting operation targeting members of Congress using phony Arab businessmen in what became known as Abscam.
In 1980 A New Mexico prison riot kills 35 convicts by fellow inmates.
In 1981 "Late Night with David Letterman" premieres on NBC.
In 1985 Roads were closed in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama by a freak ice, sleet and snow storm.
In 1987 The White House announces the resignation of CIA director William Casey, who was hospitalized and had undergone brain surgery.
In 1987 Philippine voters approved a new constitution on which President Corazon Aquino had staked her reputation.
In 1988 In a speech the 3 major networks declined to carry live, President Reagan presses his case for aid to the Nicaraguan Contras.
In 1989 A federal report is released announcing the number of people that had died from AIDs surpassed the number of "hostile deaths" in the Vietnam war.
In 1989 President P.W. Botha resigns as head of South Africa's ruling National Party after suffering a stroke at the age of 73.
In 1989 President Bush meets at the White House with Japanese Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita.
In 1990 South Africa's President F.W. de Klerk lifts the ban on the African National Congress and promises to free Nelson Mandela.
In 1990 Dan Quayle makes his first foreign trip as Vice-President to Venezuela.
In 1992 Longtime "Miss America" emcee Bert Parks dies at age 77.
In 1992 The U.S. Coast Guard ships home 250 more Haitian refugees from the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, a day after repatriating a shipload of about 150 Haitians.
In 1993 President Clinton pledges to transform welfare into a "hand-up, not a handout" by giving recipients training and then requiring them to work.
In 1996 Dancer/actor Gene Kelly dies at age 83.
In 1997 Authorities in Vallejo, CA, recover 500 pounds of stolen dynamite and arrested two men in bombings that destroyed three bank teller machines and blasted a courthouse wall.
In 1998 President Clinton's proposed budget predicts $9.5 billion surplus in 1999, the first federal fiscal year without deficit since 1969.
In 1998 The U.S. government releases statistics showing deaths from AIDS fell by almost half during the first half of 1997.
In 2002 Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers star John Stallworth are elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 2003 The search continues for pieces of the space shuttle Columbia, a day after the spacecraft disintegrated during re-entry over Texas, killing all seven astronauts aboard.
In 2017 Groundhog Day.
In 1653 New Amsterdam, present-day New York City is incorporated.
In 1848 The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed ending the Mexican War and setting up the purchase of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California for $15 million from Mexico.
In 1870 The Cardiff Giant, supposedly the petrified remains of a human discovered on a farm in Cardiff, NY, is revealed to be nothing more than carved gypsum.
In 1876 The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs is formed in New York with 8 teams.
In 1880 The first successful shipment of frozen mutton arrives in London from Australia.
In 1893 The first movie close-up is filmed at the Edison studio in West Orange, NJ, as cameraman William Dickson photographs comedian Fred Ott sneezing.
In 1912 Frederick R. Law jumps with a parachute from the torch of the Statue of Liberty in a stunt filmed by Pathe News.
In 1914 The Cub Scouts of America is formed.
In 1935 A lie detector is first used in a court in Portage, Wisconsin.
In 1942 A Los Angeles Times column urges security measures against Japanese-Americans, arguing that a Japanese-American "almost inevitably... grows up to be Japanese, not an American."
In 1943 The remainder of Nazi forces from the Battle of Stalingrad surrender in a major victory for the Soviets during World War II.
In 1945 During World War II, President Roosevelt, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill depart Malta for the summit in Yalta with Soviet leader Josef Stalin.
In 1961 The 600 passengers of a hijacked Portuguese ocean liner, the Santa Maria, are allowed to disembark in Brazil.
In 1962 8 of the 9 planets in Earth's solar system are aligned for the first time in 400 years.
In 1971 Idi Amin assumes power in Uganda, following a coup that ousts President Milton Obote.
In 1980 Reports surface that the FBI had conducted a sting operation targeting members of Congress using phony Arab businessmen in what became known as Abscam.
In 1980 A New Mexico prison riot kills 35 convicts by fellow inmates.
In 1981 "Late Night with David Letterman" premieres on NBC.
In 1985 Roads were closed in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama by a freak ice, sleet and snow storm.
In 1987 The White House announces the resignation of CIA director William Casey, who was hospitalized and had undergone brain surgery.
In 1987 Philippine voters approved a new constitution on which President Corazon Aquino had staked her reputation.
In 1988 In a speech the 3 major networks declined to carry live, President Reagan presses his case for aid to the Nicaraguan Contras.
In 1989 A federal report is released announcing the number of people that had died from AIDs surpassed the number of "hostile deaths" in the Vietnam war.
In 1989 President P.W. Botha resigns as head of South Africa's ruling National Party after suffering a stroke at the age of 73.
In 1989 President Bush meets at the White House with Japanese Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita.
In 1990 South Africa's President F.W. de Klerk lifts the ban on the African National Congress and promises to free Nelson Mandela.
In 1990 Dan Quayle makes his first foreign trip as Vice-President to Venezuela.
In 1992 Longtime "Miss America" emcee Bert Parks dies at age 77.
In 1992 The U.S. Coast Guard ships home 250 more Haitian refugees from the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, a day after repatriating a shipload of about 150 Haitians.
In 1993 President Clinton pledges to transform welfare into a "hand-up, not a handout" by giving recipients training and then requiring them to work.
In 1996 Dancer/actor Gene Kelly dies at age 83.
In 1997 Authorities in Vallejo, CA, recover 500 pounds of stolen dynamite and arrested two men in bombings that destroyed three bank teller machines and blasted a courthouse wall.
In 1998 President Clinton's proposed budget predicts $9.5 billion surplus in 1999, the first federal fiscal year without deficit since 1969.
In 1998 The U.S. government releases statistics showing deaths from AIDS fell by almost half during the first half of 1997.
In 2002 Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers star John Stallworth are elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 2003 The search continues for pieces of the space shuttle Columbia, a day after the spacecraft disintegrated during re-entry over Texas, killing all seven astronauts aboard.
In 2017 Groundhog Day.
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