This day in history

Some interesting historical events that happened today include:

1590- the governor of Roanoke Island, John White, returned from England after 3 years to find the colony deserted. We still don't know what happened.

1807- the steamboat designed by Robert Fulton, the Clermont, began its inaugural trip up the Hudson River. It was the first of its kind offered in public service

1891- the Centre Market Place bath opened to the public and offered NYC's first showers. Patrons paid 5 cents for use of the bath and received a towel and a bar of soap. They were allowed to take the soap home

1891- Charles Kettering received patent No. 1,150,523 for the first electric self-start. His invention put crank starts in the automobile industry's rear view mirror (although the rear view mirror wouldn't be invented for another 30 years)

1896- prospector George Carmack discovered gold at Bonanza Creek triggering the first gold rush in Alaska - the Klondike Gold Rush

1945- George Orwell published Animal Farm

1957- wife of sports editor and grandmother Alice Roth earned free Philadelphia Phillies tickets after being hit by 2 foul balls. Batter Richie Ashburn fouled the first one into the stands, breaking her nose. Medics were carrying her away when Ashburn fouled a second pitch, breaking a bone in her knee

1959- a 7.5 earthquake in Yellowstone National Park created Hebgen Lake in Montana

1970- Russian spacecraft Venera 7 launched and 4 months later became the first spacecraft to land on another planet

1978- Maxie Anderson, Ben Abruzzo and Larry Newman completed the first transatlantic flight by balloon in their Double Eagle II

1979- Monty Python's Life of Brian premiered in the US

2012- Moscow banned gay pride events in the city for 100 years. Courts later upheld the ban

Some notable birthdays include:

Davy Crockett (1786)

Laura de Force Gordon (1838) - champion of women's rights, she was the first woman to run a daily newspaper and second woman admitted to the CA Bar

Archibald Henry Grimke (1849) - the son of a slave and owner, he was one of the first African American students to attend Harvard Law School

Frederick Russell (1870) - established the protocols that perfected the typhoid vaccine

Samuel Goldwyn (1879) - of Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), he produced 140 films during his 42 year career

Mae West (1893)

Leslie Groves (1896)

Kent Twitchell (1942)

Robert De Niro (1943)

Martha Coolidge (1946) - Former President of the Directors Guild of America, she has directed 52 films

Kathryn Thornton (1952)

Belinda Carlisle (1958) - lead singer for the Go Go's

Sean Penn (1960)