Today in 1789, George Washington took office as the first elected U.S. president.
Today in 1900, engineer John Luther "Casey" Jones of the Illinois Central Railroad was killed in a wreck near Vaughan, Mississippi, after staying at the controls in an effort to save the passengers.
Today in 1970, President Nixon announced the U.S. was sending troops into Cambodia during the Vietnam War. The move met with widespread opposition and protest.
Today in 1992, after eight years as a ratings winner, the final episode of “The Cosby Show” was aired. It attracted over 44-million viewers.
Today in 1992, amidst the rioting and looting in Los Angeles following the Rodney King verdict, Madonna's bustier (from the “Open Your Heart” video) was stolen from Frederick’s Of Hollywood. While a $1,000 reward was offered for its return, it was never recovered.
Today in 1993, tennis star Monica Seles was stabbed in the back at a match in Hamburg, Germany. The attacker was a fan of her opponent, Steffi Graf.
Today in 1997, ABC aired that much-hyped episode of “Ellen,” that featured her character “coming out of the closet.” As it happened so did she – with 42-million watching.
Today in 1997, Britain’s “Big Ben” stopped for 54 minutes…just 24-hours before the general election.
Today in 2000, hundreds of thousands participated in an equality rally in Washington. Dubbed the “Millennium March,” estimates of attendance ranged from 500-thousand to 1-million people – the crowd was addressed by several members of Congress and, via video, by President Bill Clinton.
Today in 2012, the unfinished One World Trade Center overtook the Empire State building to become the tallest building in New York. The Freedom Tower stands at 1,368 feet tall and 1,776 feet including the antenna. The total height of the Empire State building including the lightning rod is 1,454-feet. But given the total height from ground to tip, the building stands at 1,250 feet tall.