Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1760, Peggy Shippen, American wife of Benedict Arnold and American Revolutionary War spy (died 1804) was born. In 1796, The United States takes possession of Detroit from Great Britain under terms of the Jay Treaty. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1889, Tijuana, Mexico, is founded. In 1899, Fiat founded by Giovanni Agnelli in Turin, Italy. In 1906, Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. In 1922, The Hollywood Bowl opens. In 1934, Giorgio Armani, Italian fashion designer, founded the Armani Company was born. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1979, America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.