Birthday December 20, 1805 Thomas Graham, Father of colloid chemistry
Birthday December 20, 1819 John Geary, 1st SF postmaster, 1st mayor (May 1, 1850)
Birthday December 20, 1833 Dr Samuel A. Mudd, convicted of giving medical aid to J.W. Booth
Birthday December 20, 1841 Ferdinand-douard Buisson, French educator (Nobel Peace Prize 1927)
Birthday December 20, 1868 Harvey S Firestone, where the rubber meets the road
Birthday December 20, 1894 Sir Robert Menzies, Australian PM (1939-41, 1949-66)
Birthday December 20, 1895 Susanne Langer, US philosopher, educator (Philosophy in a New Key)
Birthday December 20, 1904 Irene Dunne, in Louisville Ky
Birthday December 20, 1922 George Roy Hill, Movie director
Birthday December 20, 1928 Jack Christiansen, NFL defensive back (Det Lions)
Birthday December 20, 1928 Dr Joyce Brothers
Birthday December 20, 1944 Battle of Bastogne Nazis surrounded 101st Airborne (NUTS!)
Birthday December 20, 1952 Jenny Agutter, in London
History December 20, 1579 John Fletcher is baptized
History December 20, 1606 Va Co settlers leave London to establish Jamestown
History December 20, 1699 Peter the Great ordered Russian New Year changed - Sept 1 to Jan 1
History December 20, 1783 Virginia cedes western land to federal government
History December 20, 1790 1st successful US cotton mill (Pawtucket RI)
History December 20, 1803 The French surrender Orleans to the U.S.
History December 20, 1803 Louisiana Purchase was formally transferred from France to US
History December 20, 1812 Sacagawea Shoshone interpreter for Lewis & Clark dies
History December 20, 1820 Missouri imposes a $1 bachelor tax on unmarried men between 21 & 50
History December 20, 1836 Jackson submits Indian treaty to Congress
History December 20, 1850 Hawaiian PO established
History December 20, 1860 SC becomes 1st state to secede from US
History December 20, 1862 Raid on Holly Springs, Mississippi
History December 20, 1864 Union Gen. Sherman continued his `march to the sea.' Savannah Ga
History December 20, 1879 Tom Edison privately demonstrated incandescent light at Menlo Park
History December 20, 1883 Intl cantilever railway bridge opens at Niagara Falls
History December 20, 1892 Phileas Fogg completes around world trip according to Verne
History December 20, 1892 Pneumatic automobile tire patented
History December 20, 1914 First Battle of Champagne begins
History December 20, 1919 Canadian National Railways established (longest on continent with more than 50 000 kilometers of track in US & Canada)
History December 20, 1922 14 republics formed USSR
History December 20, 1929 Mt Davidson dedicated as city park
History December 20, 1939 Radio Australia starts shortwave service
History December 20, 1941 Hitler to Halder: No retreat!
History December 20, 1946 French crack down on Vietnamese rebels
History December 20, 1960 National Liberation Front formed
History December 20, 1963 Berlin Wall opened for 1st time to West Berliners
History December 20, 1963 Berlin Wall opened for first time
History December 20, 1967 President Johnson visits Australia, Thailand, and Vietnam
History December 20, 1968 Author John Steinbeck dies in NY at 66
History December 20, 1969 Funky Drummer is recorded
History December 20, 1976 Israel's PM Yitzhak Rabin resigns
History December 20, 1976 Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley dies at 74
History December 20, 1977 1st Space walk made by G. Grechko from Salyut
History December 20, 1982 Arthur Rubinstein pianists dies in Geneva Switzerland at 95
History December 20, 1983 Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt get landmark goals in same game
History December 20, 1983 Islanders scored 11 goals against Penguins
History December 20, 1986 Man chased to his death in Howard Beach hate-crime
History December 20, 1987 Ferry collides with oil tanker near Manila
History December 20, 1989 Michael Moore's Roger & Me opens
History December 20, 1989 The U.S. invades Panama
History December 20, 1989 Roger & Me opens in U.S. theaters
History December 20, 1995 NATO assumes peacekeeping duties in Bosnia
December 20, 1805 Thomas Graham, Father of colloid chemistry
December 20, 1819 John Geary, 1st SF postmaster, 1st mayor (May 1, 1850)
December 20, 1833 Dr Samuel A. Mudd, convicted of giving medical aid to J.W. Booth
December 20, 1841 Ferdinand-douard Buisson, French educator (Nobel Peace Prize 1927)
December 20, 1868 Harvey S Firestone, where the rubber meets the road
December 20, 1894 Sir Robert Menzies, Australian PM (1939-41, 1949-66)
December 20, 1895 Susanne Langer, US philosopher, educator (Philosophy in a New Key)
December 20, 1904 Irene Dunne, in Louisville Ky
December 20, 1922 George Roy Hill, Movie director
December 20, 1928 Jack Christiansen, NFL defensive back (Det Lions)
December 20, 1928 Dr Joyce Brothers
December 20, 1944 Battle of Bastogne Nazis surrounded 101st Airborne (NUTS!)
December 20, 1952 Jenny Agutter, in London
December 20, 1579 John Fletcher is baptized
December 20, 1606 Va Co settlers leave London to establish Jamestown
December 20, 1699 Peter the Great ordered Russian New Year changed - Sept 1 to Jan 1
December 20, 1783 Virginia cedes western land to federal government
December 20, 1790 1st successful US cotton mill (Pawtucket RI)
December 20, 1803 The French surrender Orleans to the U.S.
December 20, 1803 Louisiana Purchase was formally transferred from France to US
December 20, 1812 Sacagawea Shoshone interpreter for Lewis & Clark dies
December 20, 1820 Missouri imposes a $1 bachelor tax on unmarried men between 21 & 50
December 20, 1836 Jackson submits Indian treaty to Congress
December 20, 1850 Hawaiian PO established
December 20, 1860 SC becomes 1st state to secede from US
December 20, 1862 Raid on Holly Springs, Mississippi
December 20, 1864 Union Gen. Sherman continued his `march to the sea.' Savannah Ga
December 20, 1879 Tom Edison privately demonstrated incandescent light at Menlo Park
December 20, 1883 Intl cantilever railway bridge opens at Niagara Falls
December 20, 1892 Phileas Fogg completes around world trip according to Verne
December 20, 1892 Pneumatic automobile tire patented
December 20, 1914 First Battle of Champagne begins
December 20, 1919 Canadian National Railways established (longest on continent with more than 50 000 kilometers of track in US & Canada)
December 20, 1922 14 republics formed USSR
December 20, 1929 Mt Davidson dedicated as city park
December 20, 1939 Radio Australia starts shortwave service
December 20, 1941 Hitler to Halder: No retreat!
December 20, 1946 French crack down on Vietnamese rebels
December 20, 1960 National Liberation Front formed
December 20, 1963 Berlin Wall opened for 1st time to West Berliners
December 20, 1963 Berlin Wall opened for first time
December 20, 1967 President Johnson visits Australia, Thailand, and Vietnam
December 20, 1968 Author John Steinbeck dies in NY at 66
December 20, 1969 Funky Drummer is recorded
December 20, 1976 Israel's PM Yitzhak Rabin resigns
December 20, 1976 Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley dies at 74
December 20, 1977 1st Space walk made by G. Grechko from Salyut
December 20, 1982 Arthur Rubinstein pianists dies in Geneva Switzerland at 95
December 20, 1983 Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt get landmark goals in same game
December 20, 1983 Islanders scored 11 goals against Penguins
December 20, 1986 Man chased to his death in Howard Beach hate-crime
December 20, 1987 Ferry collides with oil tanker near Manila
December 20, 1989 Michael Moore's Roger & Me opens
December 20, 1989 The U.S. invades Panama
December 20, 1989 Roger & Me opens in U.S. theaters
December 20, 1995 NATO assumes peacekeeping duties in Bosnia