Happy Birthday to Us!

February 17, 2022

February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. Exactly 316 days remain until the end of the year - 317 if it's a leap year - which 2022 is not.

February 18 is also a significant day for public transportation in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Fifty-eight years ago today, SEPTA held its first organizational meeting - forming the beginnings of the transit system we all ride [and love] today!

What else happened on this day? Glad you asked!

On February 18, 1885, Mark Twain published his famous—and famously controversial—novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

In 1930, Pluto, once believed to be the ninth planet, was discovered at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, by astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh.

Also in 1930, Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow to fly in a fixed-wing aircraft and also the first cow to be milked in an aircraft. 

On February 18, 1970, the Chicago Seven were found not guilty of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

On February 18, 2001, Dale Earnhardt Sr., considered one of the greatest drivers in National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) history, died at the age of 49 in a last-lap crash at the 43rd Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

On February 18, 2006, Shani Davis becomes the first Black athlete to win an individual gold medal in Winter Olympics history, capturing the men's 1,000-meter speedskating race.

And in 2021, Perseverance, a Mars rover designed to explore Jezero crater on Mars, as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission, landed successfully.

And here's a [short] list of people [you may know] born on this day:

Dr. Dre

John Travolta

Matt Dillion

Molly Ringwald

Yoko Ono

Vanna White

Jillian Michaels

Cybill Shepherd

Toni Morrison

If it happens to be your birthday on February 18 - let us know in the comments below or please send us an email and we'll wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY on social media.

Click here to revisit some important milestones from the past year.