Today's Calendar for January 17th, 2021

The Old Farmer's Almanac daily calendar gives you quick reference for the significant events on any day throughout the year.

Benjamin Franklin's Birthday

Benjamin Franklin, born on January 17, 1706, not only was a world-renowned statesman, inventor, and scientist, but also was fascinated by agriculture. To demonstrate the value of gypsum as fertilizer, he applied it to a field in a pattern that spelled out, "This land has been plastered." Sure enough, clover in the fertilized area exhibited more vigorous growth.

Every Year

• Benjamin Franklin's Birthday

1700s

• Born 1706: Benjamin Franklin (statesman)

1800s

• Born 1806: James Madison Randolph (grandson of Thomas Jefferson; first baby born in the White House)

1820s

• Born 1820: Anne Brontë (novelist)

1850s

• Died 1851: Thomas Lincoln (father of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln)

1870s

• 1871: Andrew S. Hallidie received a patent for a cable car system150 Years Ago

• Died 1871: John Baker (Canada's last ex-slave)

• Died 1874: Chang and Eng Bunker (Siamese twins)

1890s

• Died 1893: Rutherford B. Hayes (19th U.S. president)

• Born 1899: Al Capone (gangster)

1910s

• 1916: Meeting held to form the Professional Golfers Association

1920s

• Born 1922: Betty White (actress)

1930s

• Born 1931: James Earl Jones (actor)

• Born 1933: Shari Lewis (actress and puppeteer, best know for Lamb Chop)

• Born 1939: Maury Povich (talk show host)

1940s

• Born 1942: Muhammad Ali (boxer)

• Born 1948: Mick Taylor (musician)

• Born 1949: Andy Kaufman (comedian & actor)

• 1949: The first Volkswagen Beetle arrived in the United States from Germany

1960s

• 1961: President Dwight Eisenhower delivered his farewell address on television

• Born 1962: Jim Carrey (actor)

• Born 1964: Michelle Obama (U.S. First Lady)

• 1966: Simon and Garfunkel released their album, "Sounds of Silence"

1970s

• 1977: Gary Gilmore was the first person legally executed in the U.S. after the death penalty was reinstated

1980s

• 1985: British Telecom announced the retirement of Britain's red telephone boxes

1990s

• 1994: 6.7 earthquake occurred in Northridge, California

2000s

• Died 2002: Norman Kay (dubbed "the Babe Ruth of bridge")

• Died 2002: Camilo Jose Cela (won the 1989 Nobel Prize in Literature for works such as The Family of Pascual Duarte)

• Died 2002: Harvey Matusow (former aide to Sen. McCarthy who was imprisoned for lying before the House of Un-American Activities)

• Died 2003: Gertrude Janeway (the last widow of a Union veteran from the Civil War)

• Died 2004: Noble Willingham (actor)

• Died 2005: Virginia Mayo (actress)

• Died 2007: Art Buchwald (humorist)

• Died 2008: Bobby Fischer (champion chess player)

2010s

• Died 2012: Johnny Otis (musician; known as the godfather of R&B)