Birth of Oliver Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry was born on August 23, 1785, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Serving with distinction during the War of 1812, he was known as the “Hero of Lake Erie.”
This Day in History
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Birth of Samuel P. Langley
Samuel Pierpont Langley was born on August 22, 1834, in Roxbury, Massachusetts. An aviation pioneer, he invented steam-powered aerodromes, which set flight records and inspired further advances in the field.
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Happy Birthday Count Basie!
William James “Count” Basie was born on August 21, 1904, in Red Bank, New Jersey. One of America’s most notable Big Band leaders, he earned nine Grammy awards and made a permanent mark on American music.
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Battle of Fallen Timbers
On August 20, 1794, General “Mad Anthony” Wayne led American troops to victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. The win enabled the Treaty of Greenville and the US acquisition of the Ohio Territory.
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USS Constitution Earns Much-Needed American Victory At Sea
On August 19, 1812, the USS Constitution dueled with the British HMS Guerriere and reigned victorious. During the fighting, one sailor noted that the British cannonballs simply bounced off the Constitution’s oak hull, proclaiming it was “made of iron.” This earned the ship its famous nickname – “Old Ironsides.”
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Kearny Expedition
On August 18, 1846, Stephen W. Kearny declared himself military governor of the New Mexico Territory. He had captured Santa Fe without firing a shot, as part of the Kearny Expedition.
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First US Airmail by Balloon
On August 17, 1859, the first airmail in the United States was carried by balloon in Indiana, from Lafayette to Crawfordsville. Of the 123 letters sent by balloon mail, only about 23 are known to still exist.
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Klondike Gold Rush
On August 16, 1896, gold was discovered in the Klondike region of the Yukon in northwestern Canada. Lasting three years, the Klondike Gold Rush was the largest and most dramatic discovery of gold in American history.
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Birth of Edna Ferber
Author Edna Ferber was born on August 15, 1885, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Considered “the greatest American woman novelist of her day,” she’s best known for her novel Show Boat.
