December 8

Today in History
• 1776 - George Washington's retreating army crosses Delaware River from NJ
• 1792 - 1st cremation in US: Henry Laurens
• 1863 - 2,500 reported killed as result of fire at Jesuit Church of La Compana, Santiago, Chile
• 1854 - Pope Pius IX proclaims Immaculate Conception, makes Mary, free of Original Sin
• 1864 - The Clifton Suspension Bridge, is finally opened in Bristol, England
• 1881 - Vienna's Ring Theater destroyed by gaslight fire, killing an estimated 384-1000 people
• 1931 - Coaxial cable patented
• 1946 - Army rocket plane XS-1 makes 1st powered flight


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Albanian National Youth Day
• Bodhi Day
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception
• Santa Marian Kamalen Day
• St. Clement of Ohrid
• Udhauli Parva
• Uzbekistan Constitution Day
• Virgin of Caacupé Day

Birthdays
• 1542 - Mary Queen of Scots, Scottish Royalty
• 1626 - Christina, Queen of Sweden who abdicated after becoming Catholic (1644-54)
• 1699 - Maria Josepha of Austria, Queen consort of Poland (1734-57)
• 1708 - Francis I, Holy Roman emperor, 1745-1765
• 1765 - Eli Whitney, American inventor (Cotton Gin)
• 1892 - Herbert "Bert" Hinkler, aviator who made first solo flight from England to Australia
• 1908 - John Volpe, American politician (61st and 63rd Governor of Massachusetts)
• 1919 - Peter Tali Coleman, Governor of American Samoa (1956-61, 78-85, 89-93)