# 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:** 67
**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:** [August 3, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1324 "2018-08-03T15:28:01Z")
**August 3, 1946:** Santa Claus Land, the world’s first themed amusement park, opens in Santa Claus, Indiana. ---
**Author:** ![CharmaChameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@CharmaChameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CharmaChameleon)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1325 "2018-08-03T21:33:07Z")
**August 3, 1958:** The first nuclear submarine, _USS Nautilus_, passes under the North Pole. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2018, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1326 "2018-08-06T08:19:05Z")
**August 6, 1930:** Judge Joseph Force Crater steps into a taxi in New York and disappears, never to be seen again. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2018, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1327 "2018-08-06T15:07:44Z")
**August 6, 1903** : [The Wallace Brothers Circus Train Disaster](https://www.shiawasseehistory.com/circus.html) in Michigan kills 23 and injures about 50. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1328 "2018-08-06T15:24:51Z")
**August 6, 1777:** American, British and Native American forces clash at the Battle of Oriskany, during the Saratoga Campaign of the American Revolution. > **[Battle of Oriskany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Oriskany)** > > The Battle of Oriskany (/ɔːrˈɪskəniː/ or /əˈrɪskəniː/) was a significant engagement of the Saratoga campaign of the American Revolutionary War, and one of the bloodiest battles in the conflict between the Americans and Great Britain. On August 6, 1777, a party of Loyalists and several hundred Indian allies from different tribes ambushed an American military party that was marching to relieve the siege of Fort Stanwix. This was one of the few battles in which the majority of the participants w... ---
**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:** [August 7, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1329 "2018-08-07T05:02:30Z")
**August 7, 1956** : [The Cali Explosion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cali_explosion) in downtown Cali, Colombia kills over 1300 and injures another 4000. Seven trucks loaded with dynamite all exploded for reasons still unknown today. Forty-one city blocks were destroyed. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2018, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1330 "2018-08-09T01:20:45Z")
**August 8, 1873** : The Steamship [_Wawaset_](https://blogs.weta.org/boundarystones/2014/01/17/wawaset-disaster-1873) catches fire and burns in the Potomac River. Somewhere between 70 and 100 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:** [August 9, 2018, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1331 "2018-08-09T05:39:28Z")
**August 9, 1941** : The Steamship [Erie](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://perdurabo10.tripod.com/ships2/id296.html&ved=2ahUKEwjXu_Han9_cAhUOSN8KHZT3CnsQFjAKegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw3OZ0YzbriLGOOb26vJP96H) catches fire and burns on Lake Erie. Around 170 lives are lost. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2018, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1332 "2018-08-09T06:32:06Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > **August 9, 1841** : The Steamship [Erie](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://perdurabo10.tripod.com/ships2/id296.html&ved=2ahUKEwjXu_Han9_cAhUOSN8KHZT3CnsQFjAKegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw3OZ0YzbriLGOOb26vJP96H) catches fire and burns on Lake Erie. Around 170 lives are lost. Date corrected. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1333 "2018-08-09T07:11:01Z")
**August 9, 1974** – As a direct result of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon becomes the first President of the United States to resign from office. His Vice President, Gerald Ford, becomes president. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1334 "2018-08-09T15:25:59Z")
**August 9, 1930:** Betty Boop makes her cartoon debut in _Dizzy Dishes._ ---
**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:** [August 10, 2018, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1335 "2018-08-10T06:33:42Z")
**August 10, 1989** : [The San Rafael River Train Wreck](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Rafael_River_train_wreck&ved=2ahUKEwjk6LmT7uHcAhVjg-AKHbXiDHsQFjAIegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1mf867ML7ucBIEFbNRo3R0) kills 112 in Mexico. Over 200 are injured. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2018, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1336 "2018-08-11T05:17:12Z")
**August 11, 1772** : [Mt. Papandayan](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://thegeosphere.pbworks.com/w/page/24743334/1772%2520Mt%2520Papandayan%252C%2520Indonesia&ved=2ahUKEwisl8rInuTcAhUnSN8KHZleDBwQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2wCoCp695PyNBa6Z-tZiik) in Indonesia erupts killing nearly 3000. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2018, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1337 "2018-08-12T13:32:18Z")
**August 12, 1953** : [The Great Ionian Earthquake](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.pappaspost.com/day-august-12-1953-great-ionian-earthquake-strikes-devastating-western-greece/&ved=2ahUKEwiGmYazz-fcAhXnc98KHaL1DowQFjAdegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw3auw7iiV0k4L6IKK73qjob) strikes Greece killing hundreds. ---
**Author:** ![CharmaChameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@CharmaChameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CharmaChameleon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1338 "2018-08-12T21:06:11Z")
**August 12, 2000:** Russian Navy submarine K-141 (Kursk) explodes and sinks with all hands during military exercises in the Barents Sea. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2018, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1339 "2018-08-14T05:20:17Z")
\*\*August 14, 1962 \*\*: [The Great Plymouth Mail Truck Robbery.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Mail_robbery) At the time this was the largest single cash heist in history. Near Plymouth, Massachusetts armed thieves posing as police stopped a mail truck carrying 1.5 million dollars in small bills and stole it all. The money has never been recovered and the case is still unsolved. ---
**Author:** ![CharmaChameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@CharmaChameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CharmaChameleon)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1340 "2018-08-14T22:01:06Z")
**August 14, 1995:** Shannon Faulker becomes the first female cadet in the history of The Citadel, South Carolina’s state military college. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2018, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1341 "2018-08-16T05:37:55Z")
**August 16, 1868** : [Earthquakes in Ecuador kill thousands.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1868_Ecuador_earthquakes) ---
**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:** [August 16, 2018, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1342 "2018-08-16T10:56:17Z")
**August 16, 1962:** Pete Best is discharged from The Beatles, to be replaced two days later by Ringo Starr. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2018, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1343 "2018-08-16T13:23:15Z")
**August 16,1958** - Madonna Louise Ciccone is born [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=66) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=68)