Today in History

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 4, the 247th day of 2013. There are 118 days left in the year. Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, begins at sunset.

Today's Highlight in History:

On September 4, 1888, George Eastman received a patent for his roll-film box camera, and registered his trademark: "Kodak."

On this date:

In 1781, Los Angeles was founded by Spanish settlers under the leadership of Governor Felipe de Neve.

In 1886, a group of Apache Indians led by Geronimo (also known as Goyathlay, "One Who Yawns") surrendered to Gen. Nelson Miles at Skeleton Canyon in Arizona.

In 1893, English author Beatrix Potter first told the story of Peter Rabbit in the form of a "picture letter" to Noel Moore, the son of Potter's former governess.

In 1917, the American Expeditionary Forces in France suffered their first fatalities during World War I when a German plane attacked a British-run base hospital.

In 1948, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands abdicated after nearly six decades of rule for health reasons.

In 1951, President Harry S. Truman addressed the nation from the Japanese peace treaty conference in San Francisco in the first live, coast-to-coast television broadcast.

In 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus used Arkansas National Guardsmen to prevent nine black students from entering all-white Central High School in Little Rock. Ford Motor Co. began selling its ill-fated Edsel.

In 1962, The Beatles, with new drummer Ringo Starr, recorded "Love Me Do" at EMI Studios in London. (The more familiar version with substitute drummer Andy White and Starr on tambourine was recorded a week later.)

In 1963, a Swissair Caravelle III carrying 80 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Zurich, killing all on board.

In 1971, an Alaska Airlines jet crashed near Juneau, killing all 111 people on board.

In 1972, U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz won a seventh gold medal at the Munich Olympics, in the 400-meter medley relay. "The New Price Is Right," hosted by Bob Barker, premiered on CBS. (The game show later dropped the "New" from its title and expanded from a half-hour to an hour.)

In 1998, Internet services company Google filed for incorporation in California.

Ten years ago: Miguel Estrada, whose nomination had become a flash point for Democratic opposition to President George W. Bush's judicial choices, withdrew from consideration for an appeals court seat after Republicans failed in seven attempts to break a Senate filibuster. Verizon Communications and two unions, the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, reached a tentative, five-year contract agreement after four months of talks.

Five years ago: With a pledge that "change is coming," Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination at the party's convention in St. Paul, Minn., vowing to vanquish what he called the "constant partisan rancor" gripping Washington. The Dow industrial average fell 344.65 points to 11,188.23 on gloomy economic data. Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in a sex scandal, forcing the Democrat out of office after months of defiantly holding onto his job.

One year ago: Democrats opened their national convention in Charlotte, N.C., by ridiculing Republican Mitt Romney as a millionaire candidate who "quite simply doesn't get it"; first lady Michelle Obama lovingly praised her husband as a devoted spouse and caring father at home and a "man we can trust" to revive the nation's weak economy as president. The Treasury Department reported the national debt had topped $16 trillion.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Mitzi Gaynor is 82. Actor Kenneth Kimmins is 72. Singer Merald "Bubba" Knight (Gladys Knight & The Pips) is 71. World Golf Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd is 71. Actress Jennifer Salt is 69. World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson is 64. Rhythm-and-blues musician Ronald LaPread is 63. Actress Judith Ivey is 62. Rock musician Martin Chambers (The Pretenders) is 62. Actress Khandi Alexander is 56. Actor-comedian Damon Wayans is 53. Rock musician Kim Thayil is 53. Actor Richard Speight Jr. is 44. Actor Noah Taylor is 44. Actress Ione Skye is 43. Rhythm-and-blues singer Richard Wingo (Jagged Edge) is 38. Actor Wes Bentley is 35. Actor Max Greenfield is 34. Singer Dan Miller ("Making the Band") is 33. Singer Beyonce Knowles is 32. Country singer-musician Tom Gossin (Gloriana) is 32. Actress-comedian Whitney Cummings is 31. Folk-rock musician Neyla Pekarek (The Lumineers) is 27. Actor Carter Jenkins is 22. Actor Trevor Gagnon is 18.

Thought for Today: "I am one of the people who love the why of things." -- Catherine the Great, Russian czarina (1729-1796).

Copyright 2013, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.