Today is Thursday, August 17, 2017 the 229th day of the year with 136 days remaining.
- Sunrise: 6:27am
- Sunset: 8:00pm
...giving us 13 hours and 32 minutes of daylight. 30% of the waning moon will be visible, setting at 4:45pm.
Tides at the Golden Gate
- High: 9:34am/8:27pm
- Low: 2:24am/2:06pm
Special international celebrations today…
- Death of General Jose de San Martin - Argentina
- Indonesian National Day
It’s also…
- Black Cat Appreciation Day
- I Love My Feet Day
- Meaning of "Is" Day
- National Nonprofit Day
- National Thrift Shop Day
- National Vanilla Custard Day
On this day in…
1790 - The capital city of theU.S. moved to Philadelphia from New York City.
1807 - Robert Fulton's "North River Steam Boat" (known as the "Clermont") began heading up New York's Hudson River on its successful round-trip to Albany.
1815 - Napoleon began serving his exile when he arrived at the island of St. Helena.
1859 - A hot air balloon was used to carry mail for the first time. John Wise left Lafayette, IN, for New York City with 100 letters. He had to land after only 27 miles.
1863 - Federal batteries and ships bombarded Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC, harbor during the Civil War.
1894 - John Wadsworth of Louisville set a major league record when he gave up 28 base hits in a single game.
1896 - The Klondike gold rush was set off by George Carmack discovering gold on Rabbit Creek inAlaska.
1903 - Joseph Pulitzer donated a million dollars to Columbia University. This started the Pulitzer Prizes in his name.
1915 - Charles F. Kettering received a patent for the first electric ignition device.
1939 - The movie "Wizard of Oz" premiered in New York. It had premiered in Hollywood on August 15.
1943 - The Allied conquest of Sicily was completed as U.S. and British forces entered Messina.
1945 - The nationalists of Indonesia declared their independence from the Netherlands.
1961 - The Communist East German government completed the construction of the Berlin Wall.
1973 - Lee Trevino got the first hole in one of his career at the U.S.I. Golf Classic, in Sutton,MA.
1977 - Florists Transworld Delivery (FTD) reported that in one day the number of orders for flowers to be delivered to Graceland had surpassed the number for any other event in the company's history.
1978 - Maxie Anderson, Ben Abruzzo and Larry Newman became the first to land after a successful trans-Atlantic balloon flight. The voyage began in Presque Isle,ME and ended in Miserey, France.
1982 - The U.S. Senate approved an immigration bill that granted permanent resident status to illegal aliens who had arrived in the United States before 1977.
1985 - A year-long strike began when 1,400 Geo. A. Hormel and Co. meat packers walked off the job.
1987 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 2,700 for the first time.
1992 - Woody Allen admitted to being romantically involved with Soon-Yi Previn. The girl was the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow, Allen's longtime companion.
1996 - A military cargo plane crashed in Wyoming killing eight crewmembers and a Secret Service employee. The plane was carrying gear forU.S. President Clinton.
1996 - Ross Perot was announced to be the Reform Party's presidential candidate. It was the party's first-ever candidate.
1998 -U.S. President Clinton admitted to having an improper relationship with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern.
1998 - NationsBank and BankAmerica merge to create the largestU.S. bank.
1998 - Russia devalued the ruble.
2002 - In Santa Rosa, CA, the Charles M. Schulz Museum opened to the public.
Today’s birthday celebrants include (or included)...
- John III Sobieski (Jan III Sobieski) 1629 - King of Poland
- Davy Crockett 1786 - Frontiersman, soldier and politician
- Samuel Goldwyn (Samuel Goldfish) 1882 - Film producer
- Monty Woolley 1888 - Stage, film, radio and television actor
- Mae West 1893 - Actress, singer, playwright, screenwriter
- Quincy Howe 1900 - Journalist, known for his CBS radio broadcasts during World War II
- Larry Clinton 1909 - Trumpeter, bandleader, arranger
- Maureen O'Hara 1921 - Actress, singer
- Larry Rivers 1923 - Artist, musician, filmmaker
- Glenn Corbett 1933 - Actor ("Route 66")
- Luther Allison 1939 - Guitarist
- Robert De Niro 1943 - Actor ("Bang Drum Slowly," "Goodfellas," "Cape Fear")
- Martha Coolidge 1946 - Movie director
- Gary Talley 1947 - Musician (The Box Tops), singer, songwriter, author
- Sib Hashian 1949 - Drummer
- Robert Joy 1951 - Actor
- Nelson Piquet 1952 - Formula One driver
- Kevin Rowland 1953 - Singer, songwriter (Dexy's Midnight Runners, Dexy's)
- Kevin Welch 1955 - Country music artist
- Colin Moulding 1955 - Bassist, songwriter, vocalist (XTC)
- Belinda Carlisle 1958 - Singer (Go-Go's)
- Sean Penn 1960 - Actor, screenwriter, director
- Everette Harp 1961 - Saxophonist
- Gilby Clark 1962 - Guitarist (Guns N' Roses)
- Maria McKee 1964 - Singer, songwriter (Lone Justice)
- Steve Gorman 1965 - Drummer (The Black Crowes)
- Jill Cunniff 1966 - Musician (Luscious Jackson)
- David Conrad 1967 - Actor (TV: "Ghost Whisperer")
- Posdnuos (Kelvin Mercer) 1969 - Rapper, producer, part of De La Soul
- Donnie Wahlberg 1969 - Singer, actor, member ofNew Kids on the Block
- Jim Courier 1970 - Tennis player
- Bryton McClure 1986 - Actor, singer
