Also on This Day in History July 17
Discover what happened on July 17 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.
Births on This Day, July 17
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1839
Ephraim Shay
American logger who invented the Shay geared
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1814
Amanz Gressly
Swiss geologist and paleontologist who was a pioneer, and regarded by some as the founder, of paleogeography
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1920
Gordon Gould
American physicist (inventor of the laser)
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1959
Janet Lynn Kavandi
American scientist and NASA astronaut (sk:STS 91)
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1923
John Cooper
English car designer who co-founded the Cooper Car Company
Deaths on This Day, July 17
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1904
Isaac Roberts
Welsh astronomer who was a pioneer in photography of nebulae
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1887
Dorothea Dix
American pioneering nurse and social activist who created the first American mental asylums
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1922
Heinrich Rubens
German physicist (back body radiation)
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1944
William James Sidis
American mathematician and child prodigy
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1959
Eugene Meyer
American businessman and newspaper publisher
1902
The first air conditioner is created by Willis Carrier in Buffalo, New York
Willis Carrier did indeed create the first modern air conditioner in Buffalo, New York, in 1902. This invention revolutionized indoor climate control and had a profound impact on various industries and daily life.
1861
US Congress authorizes paper money
The US Congress authorized paper money on July 17, 1861, with the passage of the Legal Tender Act. This act allowed the US government to issue paper currency, known as "greenbacks," as a legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.
1897
1st ship arrives in Seattle carrying gold from Yukon
The first ship to arrive in Seattle carrying gold from the Yukon arrived on July 17, 1897. This event marked the beginning of the Klondike Gold Rush, which attracted thousands of prospectors to the Yukon Territory in search of gold.
1984
The national drinking age in the U.S. was changed from 18 to 21
The National Minimum Drinking Age Act was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on July 17, 1984. This law required all states to raise their minimum drinking age to 21 in order to receive federal highway funds. Prior to this act, the legal drinking age varied by state, with some states setting it as low as 18.