This Day In History : July 16

1798 United States

US Public Health Service forms & US Marine Hospital authorized

The United States Public Health Service (USPHS) was established on July 16, 1798, by an act of Congress signed into law by President John Adams. This act also authorized the construction of marine hospitals to provide medical care for sick and disabled seamen. These marine hospitals were the precursor to the modern U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

Also on This Day in History July 16

Discover what happened on July 16 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, July 16
  • 1821 Mary Baker Eddy

    American religious leader and author who founded Christian Science

  • 1907 Orville Redenbacher

    American farmer and businessman who founded Orville Redenbacher's

  • 1951 Dan Bricklin

    American computer scientist who with Bob Frankston created VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet computer program (1979)

  • 1872 Roald Amundsen

    Norwegian polar explorer who led the 1st expedition to the South Pole

  • 1888 Frits Zernike

    Dutch physicist, invented phase-contrast microscope (Nobel 1953)

Deaths on This Day, July 16
  • 2004 Charles Sweeney

    American General who was the pilot who flew the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, the second atomic strike on Japan in the final days of World War II

  • 1915 Ellen G. White

    American religious leader and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

  • 1999 John F. Kennedy Jr.

    American lawyer and publisher who co-founded George Magazine

  • 1739 Charles Du Fay

    French chemist who made early experiments in electricity

  • 2012 Stephen Covey

    American businessman and author

1969

Apollo 11, the first space mission to land astronauts on the Moon is launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida

Apollo 11, the first space mission to land astronauts on the Moon, was indeed launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was launched on July 16, 1969, and it carried astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.
1935

The world's first parking meter is installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

The world's first parking meter was indeed installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was installed on July 16, 1935, on the southeast corner of what is now the intersection of First Street and Robinson Avenue in downtown Oklahoma City. This innovation was the result of Carl C. Magee's invention, which aimed to regulate parking and generate revenue for the city.
1880

Dr. Emily Stowe becomes the first woman licenced to practise medicine in Canada

Dr. Emily Stowe became the first woman licensed to practice medicine in Canada on July 16, 1880. She was a pioneering Canadian physician, suffragist, and reformer who fought for women's rights and access to medical education and healthcare.
1926

National Geographic takes 1st natural-color undersea photos

National Geographic took its first natural-color undersea photos on July 16, 1926. These photographs were captured during an expedition to the Gulf Stream off the coast of Florida. The expedition was led by Dr. William Beebe, a renowned marine biologist and explorer, and the photographs provided fascinating insights into the underwater world.
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