Birthdays & Historical Events – June 16

← National Days on June 16

Birthdays & Historical Events – June 16

Historical Events on June 16

Events that occurred on June 16 throughout history

1632

The first land patent is granted to Thomas Purchase and his brother.

<p>The Plymouth Company granted a land patent to Thomas Purchase and his brother the first land patent. The land patent was used to build a trading post and fishing operation in Pejepscot Falls (present day Brunswick, Maine). </p>

1858

Abraham Lincoln delivers his infamous House Divided speech.

<p>Abraham Lincoln delivers his infamous <em>House Divided</em> speech in Springfield, Illinois, after accepting the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. </p>

1884

The first roller coaster opens in New York's Coney Island.

<p>The first roller coaster opens in New York&#039;s Coney Island. The &quot;Switchback Railway&quot; cost five cents to travel 6 mph for 600 foot ride.</p>

1903

The Ford Motor Company is incorporated.

<p>The Ford Motor Company is incorporated laying the groundwork for mass-production automobiles. </p>

1903

The Pepsi Cola Company forms.

<p>The Pepsi Cola Company forms when pharmacist Caleb Davis Bradham officially registered the &quot;Pepsi-Cola&quot; trademark. </p>

1911

IBM is founded.

<p>IBM founded as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company in Endicott, New York, producing employee time-recording systems, weighing scales, and meat slicers. </p>

1981

President Ronald Reagan awards the Congressional Gold Medal to Ken Taylor

<p>President Ronald Reagan awards the Congressional Gold Medal to Ken Taylor, Canada&#039;s former ambassador to Iran. He helped six Americans escape from Iran during the hostage crisis of 1979–81. He was the first foreign citizen to be awarded the honor. </p>

Born on June 16

People born on June 16

Barbara McClintock

Cytogeneticist who discovered genetic transposition and studied chromosomes and how they change during reproduction in maize.

Bob Ryland

The first Black American to play professional tennis. In later years, he became a coach to some of the world's best tennis players, including Renee Blount, Leslie Allen, Bruce Foxworth, and Venus and Serena Williams.

Geronimo

Famous Apache leader and resistance fighter. After he was captured and forced on a reservation, the U.S. capitalized on Geronimo's fame among non-Indians by displaying him at various fairs and exhibitions.

Katharine Graham

Publisher who approved the Watergate scandal be printed in the Washington Post.

Meshech Weare

Farmer, lawyer, and politician who became the first President (Governor) of New Hampshire. He was one of the key contributors to creating New Hampshire's constitution.

Irving Penn

Considered to be one of the greatest fashion photographers of the 20th Century.

George Gaylord Simpson

Paleontologist who had extensive knowledge on extinct mammals and their intercontinental migrations, especially about Mesozoic fossil mammals.

Jack Albertson

Actor recognized for his role as "grandpa" in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Archie Carr

Ecologist and zoologist who worked primarily for the conservation of sea turtles.

Tupac Shakur

Tupac Amaru Shakur He is considered to be one of the most influential musical artists of the 20th century. He is in the elite class of the highest selling artists of all time.