This day in history

Some interesting historical events that happened today include:

1842- the Webster-Ashburton Treaty was signed. US Secretary of State Daniel Webster and Britain's Alexander Baring (Lord Ashburton) came to an agreement regarding the Canadian and US border east of the Rocky Mountains. It had been in dispute since the end of the Revolutionary War

1854- Henry David Thoreau published Walden

1898- the US Patent Office issued patent No. 608,845 to Rudolf Diesel for the internal combustion engine 

1910- Alva Fisher received patent No. 966,677 for a drive motor for washing machines which lead to the production of the Thor electric washing machine 

1930- Betty Boop debut as a French poodle in the cartoon short "Dizzy Dishes"

1936- Jesse Owens won his 4th Olympic medal, the first American to reach this achievement 

1945- the US dropped its second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. It was nicknamed Fat Man

1956- 20,000 women marched on Pretoria's Union Buildings in protest of laws requiring women to carry passes

1974- President Richard Nixon's resignation went into effect at noon leading Vice President Gerald Ford to take the oath of office as the new POTUS. Gerald Ford became vice president by appointment making him the only president to service without being elected to the position of VEEP or president 

2007- Major League Soccer debut David Beckam in a game between the LA Galaxy and D.C. United

2012- after 56 consecutive days of high temperature of at least 80°F, the city of Fort Wayne, IN broke the streak with a 79°F day

2012- Usain Bolt earned his 2nd 200-meter Olympic win, making him the only man in history to do so

Some notable birthdays include:

Elizabeth Hamilton (1757) - married to Alexander Hamilton, after the deaths of her husband and son she co-founded the Orphan Asylum Society - the first private orphanage in NYC. She lived to 97

Smokey Bear (1944) - the US Forest Service authorizes a forest fire prevention campaign with Smokey Bear as the mascot

Sam Elliot (1944) - leading man and voice of "Beef. It's Whats for Dinner"

Chris Haney (1950) - Canadian journalist who created Trivial Pursuit with Scott Abbott

Michael Kors (1960)

Whitney Houston (1963)

Today Kotb (1964)

Deion Sanders (1967)

Gillian Anderson (1967)

Arion Salazar (1970) - original bassist of Third Eye Blind

Ashley Johnson (1983)