1578 ~ Francesco Albani the Italian painter was born on the 17th August 1578 (died 1660). 

1786 ~ Davy Crockett the American soldier and politician was born on the 17th August 1786 (died 1836).

1807 ~ Robert Fulton‘s North River Steamboat left New York for Albany on the Hudson River on the 17th August 1807, inaugurating the 1st commercial steamboat service in the world.

1863 ~ Gene Stratton-Porter the American author and photographer was born on the 17th August 1863 (died 1924).

1883 ~ Himno Nacional the Dominican Republic‘s national anthem was first publicly performed on the 17th August 1883.

1907 ~ Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington was opened on the 17th August 1907.

1908 ~ Fantasmagorie the 1st animated cartoon, was shown on the 17th August 1908, in Paris, France. Fantasmagorie was created by Émile Cohl.

1915 ~ The Galveston Hurricane of 1915 rated category 4 hit Galveston, Texas on the 17th August 1915, with winds of 217 km/h (135 mph).

1920 ~ Maureen O’Hara the Irish actress and singer was born on the 17th August 1920.

1933 ~ Gene Kranz the American NASA flight director and manager was born on the 17th August 1933.

1939 ~ Luther Allison the American singer and guitarist was born on the 17th August 1939 (died 1997).

1943 ~ Robert De Niro the American actor was born on the 17th August 1943.

1944 ~ Larry Ellison the American businessman and co-founder of the Oracle Corporation was born on the 17th August 1944.

1947 ~ Gary Talley the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from The Box Tops was born on the 17th August 1947.

1949 ~ Sib Hashian the American drummer from the band Boston was born on the 17th August 1949.

1953 ~ Narcotics Anonymous 1st meeting was held on the 17th August 1953, in Southern California.

1953 ~ Kevin Rowland the English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Dexys Midnight Runners was born on the 17th August 1953.

1953 ~ Mick Malthouse the Australian footballer and coach was born on the 17th August 1953.

1958 ~ Belinda Carlisle the American singer-songwriter from The Go-Go’s was born on the 17th August 1958.

1958 ~ Pioneer 0 was launched using the 1st Thor-Able rocket and failed on the 17th August 1958, during America’s 1st attempt at lunar orbit. The event was notable as one of the 1st attempted launches beyond Earth orbit by any country.

1959 ~ Quake Lake was formed by the magnitude 7.5 1959 Yellowstone earthquake in Montana on the 17th August 1959..

1959 ~ David Koresh the American cult leader was born on the 17th August 1959 (died 1993).

1959 ~ Kind of Blue by Miles Davis was released on the 17th August 1959, becoming a highly acclaimed and influential best selling jazz recording of all time.

1960 ~ Sean Penn the American actor and director was born on the 17th August 1960.

1960 ~ Gabon gained independence from France on the 17th August 1960, during decolonization.

1962 ~ Peter Fechter was killed by East German border guards as he attempted to cross the Berlin Wall into West Berlin on the 17th August 1962, becoming one of the 1st victims of the wall. Peter Fechter was 18 years old when he died..

1962 ~ Gilby Clarke the American guitarist from Guns N’ Roses was born on the 17th August 1962.

1965 ~ Steve Gorman the American drummer from The Black Crowes was born on the 17th August 1965.

1969 ~ Donnie Wahlberg the American singer from New Kids on the Block, actor, and producer was born on the 17th August 1969.

1969 ~ Hurricane Camille at category 5 hit the U.S. Gulf Coast on the 17th August 1969, killing 256 and causing $1.42 billion in damage.

1970 ~ Jim Courier the American tennis player was born on the 17th August 1970.

1970 ~ Venera 7 was launched on the 17th August 1970, later becoming the 1st spacecraft to successfully transmit data from the surface of another planet (Venus).

1977 ~ Arktika the Soviet icebreaker became the 1st surface ship to reach the North Pole on the 17th August 1977.

1978 ~ Double Eagle II became the 1st balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it landed in Miserey, France on the 17th August 1978, after 137 hours after leaving Presque Isle, Maine.

1980 ~ Azaria Chamberlain disappeared at Ayers Rock, Northern Territory on the 17th August 1980, presumed to be taken by a dingo.

1982 ~ Classical music Compact Discs (CDs) were produced for the 1st time in the World on 17th August 1982, in Germany. The CDs contained a selection of 14 Waltzes by Chopin as interpreted and recorded by Claudio Arrau in 1979, who marked this historical event by visiting the Hannover Philips production plant to press the Start button.

1990 ~ Rachel Hurd-Wood the English actress and model best known as Wendy Darling in the 2003 film Peter Pan.

1995 ~ Ted Whitten the Australian footballer and coach died on the 17th August 1995 (born 1933).

1998 ~ Lewinsky scandal: US President Bill Clinton admitted a taped testimony on the 17th August 1998 that he had an “improper physical relationship” with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. On the same day he also admitted before the nation that he “misled people” about the relationship.

1999 ~ İzmit Earthquake hit İzmit, Turkey at 7.4-magnitude on the 17th August 1999, killing more than 17,000 people, and injuring over 44,000.

2008 ~ Michael Phelps the American swimmer became the 1st person to win 8 gold medals in one Olympic Games on the 17th August 2008.

Today in History for August 17th ~ video presented by the Associated Press…