April 15 in History

Significant events that happened on this day.

Today

Historical Events

2019

The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris caught fire and nearly burned down

The 856-year-old Gothic masterpiece's wooden roof and iconic spire were destroyed in the blaze, likely caused by electrical issues or a cigarette duri...

1982

The first London Marathon was run with over 20,000 participants

Inspired by the New York City Marathon, organizers were shocked when 20,000 people applied for what they thought would be a small event. Norwegian run...

1970

The Apollo 13 astronauts safely returned to Earth after a near-fatal explosion

After an oxygen tank exploded two days into the mission, the crew had to use the lunar module as a lifeboat and loop around the moon to get home. The...

1955

Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois

This wasn't the first McDonald's ever, but it was the first franchised location that would become the template for the global empire. Kroc had been im...

1947

Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier by playing his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers

Major

Robinson's major league debut at first base marked the end of racial segregation in professional baseball. He faced intense racism and death threats b...

1923

Insulin became generally available for people with diabetes

After successful testing, Eli Lilly began large-scale production of insulin, transforming diabetes from a death sentence into a manageable condition....

1912

The RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean after hitting an iceberg

Major

The supposedly "unsinkable" luxury liner went down on its maiden voyage, killing over 1,500 people. The disaster occurred just before midnight on Apri...

1897

The first Boston Marathon was held with only 15 runners

Inspired by the marathon at the first modern Olympics in 1896, the race began in Ashland and ended in Boston. New York's John J. McDermott won with a...

1850

The city of San Francisco was incorporated in California

Just two years after the Gold Rush began, the booming settlement officially became a city. Its population had exploded from about 1,000 to 25,000 in j...

1817

America's first school for the deaf opened in Hartford, Connecticut

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc founded what is now known as the American School for the Deaf. Clerc, who was deaf himself, brought French...

1738

The first authorized performance of the hymn 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' took place

Charles Wesley wrote the original lyrics, though they were quite different from what we sing today. The familiar tune was added over a century later b...

1452

Leonardo da Vinci was born in Vinci, Italy

Major

The illegitimate son of a notary would grow up to become the ultimate Renaissance man. He painted the Mona Lisa, designed flying machines centuries be...

Fun Facts from April 15