Calendar for December 20th, 2012

2001: First Day of Chanukah

1790: Operation of first successful water-powered cotton spinning mill in U.S. began, Pawtucket, Rhode Island

1803: Louisiana Purchase finalized

1820: Missouri imposed a $1 tax on bachelors

1860: South Carolina seceded from the Union

Born 1868: Harvey Samuel Firestone (tire manufacturer)

Born 1898: Irene Dunne (actress)

Born 1922: George Roy Hill (director of film)

Born 1970: Nicole DeBoer (actress)

Died 1973: Bobby Darin (singer)

1982: 24-lb. 8-oz. horse-eye jack caught, Miami, Florida

Died 1982: Arthur Rubenstein (pianist)

Born 1990: JoJo (singer)

Died 1996: Carl Sagan (astronomer)

Died 2007: J. Russell Coffey (oldest known U.S. veteran of World War I)

Died 2008: Robert Mulligan (director)

Died 2009: Brittany Murphy (actress)

Died 2010: Steve Landesberg (actor)