December 26 - This day in History

December 26: General Interest
1946: Bugsy Siegel opens Flamingo Hotel

On December 26, 1946, in Las Vegas, Nevada, mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel opens The Pink Flamingo Hotel & Casino at a total cost of $6 million. The 40-acre facility wasn't complete and Siegel was hoping to raise some revenue with the grand opening... read more


American Revolution
1776 : Washington wins first major U.S. victory at Trenton
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/washington-wins-first-major-us-victory-at-trenton


Automotive
1956 : Carmaker Preston Tucker dies
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/carmaker-preston-tucker-dies


Civil War
1861 : Possible war between U.S. and Britain is averted
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mason-and-slidell-freed


Cold War
1955 : Porgy and Bess opens in Leningrad
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/porgy-and-bess-opens-in-leningrad


Crime
1610 : Bathory's torturous escapades are exposed
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bathorys-torturous-escapades-are-exposed


Disaster
2004 : Tsunami devastates Indian Ocean coast
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tsunami-devastates-indian-ocean-coast


General Interest
1908 : Jack Johnson wins heavyweight title
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jack-johnson-wins-heavyweight-title

1941 : Churchill addresses Congress
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/churchill-addresses-congress

1966 : The first Kwanzaa
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-first-kwanzaa

2004 : Tsunami wreaks havoc on Southeast Asia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tsunami-wreaks-havoc-on-southeast-asia


Hollywood
1973 : The Exorcist opens
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-exorcist-opens


Literary
1606 : King Lear performed at Court
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/king-lear-performed-at-court


Music
1966 : Jimi Hendrix writes "Purple Haze"
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jimi-hendrix-writes-quotpurple-hazequot


Old West
1820 : Moses Austin asks Spanish for Texas colony
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/moses-austin-asks-spanish-for-texas-colony


Presidential
1972 : Truman dies
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-dies


Sports
1908 : Jack Johnson wins heavyweight boxing title
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jack-johnson-wins-heavyweight-boxing-title


Vietnam War
1967 : Laos says communists launched an offensive
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/laos-says-communists-launched-an-offensive

1971 : U.S. jets strike North Vietnam
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-jets-strike-north-vietnam


World War I
1917 : U.S. government takes over control of nation's railroads
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-government-takes-over-control-of-nations-railroads


World War II
1943 : Britain surprises German attacker in the Arctic
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/britain-surprises-german-attacker-in-the-arctic

1944 : Patton relieves Bastogne
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/patton-relieves-bastogne