# Today in History **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 10, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530 "2016-07-10T04:53:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 52
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2018, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1024 "2018-01-20T05:45:14Z")
**January 20, 1954** : The lowest temperature ever recorded in the lower 48 states, -70 degrees Fahrenheit, is measured at Rogers Pass, Montana. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1025 "2018-01-22T06:53:48Z")
**January 22, 1915** : [The Guadalajara Train Disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalajara_train_disaster) kills over 600 people in Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1026 "2018-01-22T11:47:01Z")
**January 22, 1984:** The Apple Macintosh, the first consumer computer to popularize the computer mouse and the graphical user interface, is introduced during a Super Bowl XVIII television commercial. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1027 "2018-01-23T06:05:10Z")
\*\*January 23, 1812 \*\*: [The second of the three major New Madrid earthquakes](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.britannica.com/event/New-Madrid-earthquakes-of-1811-1812&ved=2ahUKEwjh4umKs-3YAhVSEawKHbZcAi4QFjALegQIDxAB&usg=AOvVaw0uyMmMhRSFVt0M5tGYhKou) strikes in Southeastern Missouri. This quake is estimated between 7.3 and 7.6 on the Richter scale. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2018, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1028 "2018-01-24T07:48:02Z")
\*\*January 24, 1915 \*\*: The German warship [SMS Blucher](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Bl%25C3%25BCcher&ved=2ahUKEwiexu70jPDYAhVRMqwKHd8cDCkQFjAAegQIDhAB&usg=AOvVaw3xW7WREw_-EE_Pb9uxXzcA) is sunk during the Battle of Dogger Bank. Between 750 and 1000 are killed. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1029 "2018-01-25T05:02:17Z")
**January 25, 1904** : [The Harwick Mine Explosion](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harwick_Mine_disaster&ved=2ahUKEwjawoTvqfLYAhUS4VMKHRFSAEsQFjAAegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw22IWX7c9h_5avPGroooTS-) in Cheswick, Pennsylvania kills 179 miners and 2 aid workers. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1030 "2018-01-26T06:13:33Z")
**January, 26, 1531** : [An earthquake strikes Lisbon, Portugal.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1531_Lisbon_earthquake) This quake and the resulting tsunami kill an estimated 30,000. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1031 "2018-01-26T21:57:17Z")
\*\*January 26, 1998: \*\*U.S. President Bill Clinton denies having had “sexual relations” with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1032 "2018-01-27T06:29:55Z")
**January 27, 1891** : 109 miners are killed in the [Mammoth Mine Explosion](http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-2CA)in southwestern Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1033 "2018-01-27T14:49:06Z")
**January 26, 1988** - Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera opens on Broadway.\* \*still running ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1034 "2018-01-29T06:18:25Z")
**January 29, 1921** : [The Great Blowdown](http://www.historylink.org/File/5249) storm strikes Oregon and Washington with hurricane force winds. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1035 "2018-01-30T07:07:28Z")
**January 30, 1895** : [The SS _Elbe_](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Elbe_(1881)&ved=2ahUKEwiUq_WijP_YAhUFu1MKHbtzD4IQFjAAegQIERAB&usg=AOvVaw0jwbfySn_4YNFKYC69SuLD) passenger ship collides with the steamship \*Crathie \*during the night in the North Sea. The crew of the \*Crathie \* later claim they did not know the \*Elbe \*was sinking, and their boat continues on while the _Elbe_ sinks. 332 die. 20 survive in the sole lifeboat that was safely launched. This was quite a miracle, as the subzero temperatures, rough seas and damaged lifeboat made it unlikely to be found. However a fishing boat happened upon the lifeboat five hours later and the 20 lives were saved. At the time it was said the lifeboat had been falling apart and the passengers could not have survived another hour adrift. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1036 "2018-01-31T06:04:38Z")
**January 31, 1953** : During a violent storm, [the passenger car ferry MV _Princess Victoria_](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-21192632&ved=2ahUKEwjSloTAwYHZAhXB6lMKHaToApkQFjAhegQIDRAB&usg=AOvVaw1GWKj-zRDc77RMke4-zpBa) sinks in the North Channel between Ireland and Great Britain. 133 lives are lost. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1037 "2018-01-31T10:09:18Z")
**January 31, 1747:** The first venereal diseases clinic opens at London Lock Hospital. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1038 "2018-02-01T08:30:01Z")
**February 1, 1974** [The Joelma Building](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://seanmunger.com/2015/02/01/the-towering-inferno-for-real-the-story-of-the-joelma-building-disaster/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwjckae3o4TZAhXrs1kKHTDTA3UQFjAdegQIDRAB&usg=AOvVaw3cr072JY2Nd300js5Psi7z&cf=1), a highrise in Sao Paulo catches fire. The death toll is between 160 and 170, many of whom jump to their deaths from several burning stories high above. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1039 "2018-02-02T06:12:50Z")
**February 2, 1979** : Sid Vicious dies of a heroin overdose. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1040 "2018-02-03T05:02:45Z")
**February 3, 1954** : [The Kumbh Mela Stampede](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_Kumbh_Mela_stampede) in India results in the deaths of over 800 people. Another 2000 are injured. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1041 "2018-02-04T01:26:01Z")
**February 3, 1959:** Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson are killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1042 "2018-02-04T08:54:27Z")
**February 4, 1797** : [The 1797 Riobamba earthquake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1797_Riobamba_earthquake)measures 8.3 on the Richter Scale and causes nearly 40,000 casualties. This is the strongest known earthquake in Ecuador’s history. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1043 "2018-02-04T11:30:00Z")
**February 4, 1967** : [Lunar Orbiter 3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Orbiter_3) lifts off from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 13 on its mission to identify possible landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo spacecraft. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=51) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=53)