On this date in

1795 France conquered Belgium.

1800 Spain signed the Treaty of San Ildefonso giving Louisiana to France.

1811 The Mississippi River's first steamboat arrived in New Orleans.

1869 Austria issued the world's first postcards.

1880 Thomas Edison opened the first electric lamp factory.

1890 Congress established Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks.

1891 Stanford University opened.

1908 Ford began selling its Model T; the car cost $825.

1918 Arab forces led by T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) captured Damascus.

1931 The George Washington Bridge opened; the current Waldorf-Astoria Hotel opened.

1936 Francisco Franco assumed control of the government of Spain.

1940 The Pennsylvania Turnpike opened.

1946 Mensa International was founded.

1957 The words "In God We Trust" first appeared on U.S. paper currency.

1958 NASA was created.

1961 Roger Maris hit his 61st homerun of the baseball season, breaking Babe Ruth's single season record.

1962 Johnny Carson made his debut as the host of "The Tonight Show."

1964 Japan's high-speed bullet train began operations.

1971 Walt Disney World opened in Orlando, Fla.

1975 Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the heavyweight championship boxing match known as the "Thrilla in Manila."

1979 The United States returned control of the Panama Canal to Panama.

1882 EPCOT Center opened at Walt Disney World; Sony introduced the first CD player for consumers.

1993 Polly Klaas was abducted from her home in Petaluma, Calif.

Born on this date:
King Henry III of England (1207-1272)
Engineer-aviation pioneer William Boeing (1881-1956)
Actor Stanley Holloway (1890-1982)
Pianist Vladimir Horowitz (1903-1989)
Politician Sam Yorty (1909-1998)
Outlaw Bonnie Parker (1910-1934)
Actor Walter Matthau (1920-2000)
Lawyer-jurist William Rehnquist (1924-2005)
Actor Laurence Harvey (1928-1973)
Actor George Peppard (1928-1994)
Actor Richard Harris (1930-2002)
Actor Philippe Noiret (1930-2006)
Guitarist Albert Collins (1932-1993)
Singer Donny Hathaway (1945-1979)
Skier Spider Sabich (1945-1976)