This Day In History : July 3

1819 United States

1st savings bank in US (Bank of Savings in NYC) opens its doors

The first savings bank in the United States, the Bank of Savings in New York City, opened its doors on July 3, 1819. This institution played a significant role in providing a safe place for people to deposit their savings and earn interest, contributing to the development of the American banking system.

Also on This Day in History July 3

Discover what happened on July 3 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, July 3
  • 1879 Alfred Korzybski

    Polish scientist who formulated the theory of semantics

  • 1899 Ludwig Guttmann

    German-British neurologist, founder of the Stoke Mandeville Games (now the Paralympics)

  • 1985 Harrison Schmitt

    American geologist and astronaut (Apollo 17)

  • 1941 Wylie Walker Vale

    American endocrinologist who discovered the stress hormone

  • 1943 Norman Thagard

    American scientist and astronaut (STS 7, 51-B, 30, 42, 71, Mir)

Deaths on This Day, July 3
  • 1995 Pancho Gonzales

    American tennis player who won 14 major singles titles and holds the men's all time record of being ranked #1 in the World for 8 years

  • 1904 Theodor Herzl

    Austrian journalist and father of modern political Zionism (World Zionist Organization)

  • 1983 John Fleming (Jack) Brock

    South African nutritional scientist, physician and a professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town

  • 2020 Emily Howell Warner

    American pilot, 1st woman to captain a commercial American airline plane

  • 2013 Radu Vasile

    Prime Minister of Romania (1998-99)

1952

The Constitution of Puerto Rico is approved by the U.S. Congress

The Constitution of Puerto Rico was approved by the U.S. Congress on July 3, 1952. This document established Puerto Rico as a self-governing commonwealth associated with the United States.
1608

Quebec City is founded by Samuel de Champlain

Quebec City was founded by French explorer Samuel de Champlain on July 3, 1608. Champlain played a crucial role in establishing the French colonial presence in North America, and Quebec City became one of the earliest permanent settlements in what is now Canada.
1884

Dow Jones publishes its 1st stock index, the Dow Jones Transportation Average

The Dow Jones Transportation Average, the first stock index published by Dow Jones, was introduced on July 3, 1884. This index tracked the performance of transportation-related stocks and provided investors with a benchmark for assessing the overall health of the transportation sector.
2004

Official opening of Bangkok's subway system

The official opening of Bangkok's subway system, also known as the Bangkok MRT (Mass Rapid Transit), took place on July 3, 2004. This marked a significant milestone in Bangkok's transportation infrastructure, providing an efficient and modern underground rail network for the city's residents and visitors.
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