August 13 in History

Significant events that happened on this day.

Historical Events

2008

Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, breaking Mark Spitz's record

Major

Phelps secured his place in history by winning the 4x100m medley relay, giving him eight golds in a single Olympics. The achievement surpassed Spitz's...

2004

Hurricane Charley hit Florida as a Category 4 storm, but surprised everyone by changing course at the last minute

Forecasters predicted Charley would hit Tampa Bay, but the hurricane made an unexpected turn and slammed into Port Charlotte instead. The sudden shift...

1996

A man in California was arrested for stealing electricity to power his hair dryer at a public park

The 32-year-old was charged with misdemeanor theft after he was caught unplugging park equipment to use the outlet for his personal grooming routine....

1978

A massive balloon containing 10,000 cubic feet of helium lifted a house into the air in Los Angeles

Stuntman and hot air balloon enthusiast Larry Walters attached 45 weather balloons to a lawn chair and ascended to 16,000 feet. He drifted into LAX ai...

1961

Construction began on the Berlin Wall, dividing East and West Berlin

Major

East German troops began erecting barbed wire and concrete barriers through the heart of Berlin. The wall would stand for 28 years as the most visible...

1930

The first color cartoon with synchronized sound, 'Fiddlesticks,' premiered

Created by Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney's former collaborator, this cartoon featured Flip the Frog and used the two-strip Technicolor process. It beat Disne...

1918

Opha May Johnson became the first woman to enlist in the United States Marine Corps

Johnson, a 40-year-old from New York, signed up as the Marines began accepting women during World War I. She served as a clerk at Marine Corps Headqua...

1913

Harry Brearley invented stainless steel in Sheffield, England

Major

While trying to develop erosion-resistant gun barrels, metallurgist Brearley accidentally created a rust-resistant steel alloy. His discovery revoluti...

1899

Alfred Hitchcock, the 'Master of Suspense,' was born in London

Major

The future legendary film director entered the world in Leytonstone, London. He would go on to direct iconic psychological thrillers like Psycho, Vert...

1889

The first coin-operated turnstile was installed at the London Underground

Before this invention, Underground passengers had to hand tickets to station staff. The mechanical turnstile automated the process and became a model...

1836

The U.S. Patent Office building was destroyed by fire, along with nearly 10,000 patents

The fire consumed irreplaceable records of American innovation, including original patent models. Congress later had to pass special legislation to al...

1814

The Cape Cod Canal was proposed, but wouldn't be completed for another 100 years

President James Madison and his cabinet discussed building a canal to connect Cape Cod Bay to Buzzards Bay. Despite the clear benefits, political squa...

1704

The Battle of Blenheim resulted in one of the Duke of Marlborough's greatest victories

English and Austrian forces defeated the French and Bavarian armies in Bavaria during the War of the Spanish Succession. The victory saved Vienna from...

1521

Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés captured Tenochtitlan, ending the Aztec Empire

Major

After a 93-day siege, Cortés and his forces captured the Aztec capital, marking the fall of one of the most powerful empires in Mesoamerica. The city,...