August 17 in History

1807 – Robert Fulton’s North River Steamboat left New York, New York, to Albany, New York, on the Hudson River, inaugurating the first commercial steamboat service in the world.

1896 – Bridget Driscoll was run over by a Benz car in The Crystal Palace, London grounds. She was the UK’s first pedestrian motoring fatality.

1907 – Pike Place Market, in Seattle’s historic district, opened.

1908 – Fantasmagorie was released by Émile Cohl. It is one of the earliest examples of traditional (hand-drawn) animation and is considered by film historians to be the first animated cartoon.

1953 – The first meeting of Narcotics Anonymous took place in Southern California.

1958 – Pioneer 0, America’s first attempt at lunar orbit, was launched using the first Thor-Able rocket and failed.

1959 – Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, the best-selling jazz recording of all time, was released.

#1 Hit August 17, 1968 – September 20, 1968: Young Rascals – People Got to Be Free

1969 – Hurricane Camille (Category 5) hit the U.S. Gulf Coast, killing 256 people.

#1 Hit August 17, 1974 – August 23, 1974: Paper Lace – The Night Chicago Died

1977 – The Soviet icebreaker Arktika became the first surface ship to reach the North Pole.

1978 – Double Eagle II became the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it landed in Miserey, France, near Paris, 137 hours after leaving Presque Isle, Maine.

1990 (Earthquake) Izmit, Turkey

1998 – President Clinton admitted to having an “inappropriate” relationship with an intern, Monica Lewinsky.

#1 Hit August 17, 2002 – October 4, 2002: Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland – Dilemma

2005 – Weeds premiered on Showtime

2008 – American swimmer Michael Phelps became the first person to win eight gold medals in one Olympic Games.