On this day, Dec. 6
1790 Congress moved to Philadelphia from New York.
1865 The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, abolishing slavery, was ratified as Georgia became the 27th state to endorse it.
1907 The worst mining disaster in U.S. history occurred as 362 men and boys died in a coal mine explosion in Monongah, W. Va. 1954 One hundred eighteen business firms, schools and hospitals 80 years or older were honored by the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce at its 80th anniversary dinner, attended by 900 people at the William Penn Hotel. Post-Gazette publisher William Block, publisher of the Post-Gazette spoke at the dinner.
1957 America’s first attempt to put a satellite into orbit failed as Vanguard TV3 rose about 4 feet off a Cape Canaveral launch pad before crashing down and exploding. 1962 Thirty-seven coal miners were killed in an explosion at the Robena No. 3 Mine operated by U.S. Steel in Carmichaels, Greene County.
1984 Groundbreaking began for the $135 million building complex across from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The project would include the 615-room Vista International Hotel and a 31-story office building.
2009 Penn Hills police Officer Michael Crawshaw was killed while waiting for backup outside a home where shots were reported being fired. The shooter killed a man inside the home and then riddled Officer Crawshaw’s vehicle with bullets.
2015 In an Oval Office address, President Barack Obama vowed the U.S. would overcome a new phase of the terror threat that sought to “poison the minds” of people around the world, as he tried to reassure Americans shaken by recent attacks in Paris and California.
Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).
— Compiled by Alyssa Brown Today’s birthdays: Comedy performer David Ossman, 84. Actor Patrick Bauchau, 82. Country singer Helen Cornelius, 79. Actor James Naughton, 75. Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, 75. Rhythm-and-blues singer Frankie Beverly (Maze), 74. Former Sen. Don Nickles, ROkla.,, 72. Actor JoBeth Williams, 72. Actor Tom Hulce, 67. Actor Wil Shriner, 67. Actor Kin Shriner, 67. Actor Miles Chapin, 66. Rock musician Rick Buckler (The Jam), 65. Comedian Steven Wright, 65. Country singer Bill Lloyd, 65. Singer Tish Hinojosa, 65. Rock musician Peter Buck (R.E.M.), 64. Rock musician David Lovering (Pixies), 59. Actor Janine Turner, 58. Rock musician Ben Watt (Everything But The Girl), 58. Writer-director Judd Apatow, 53. Rock musician Ulf “Buddha” Ekberg (Ace of Base), 50. Writer-director Craig Brewer, 49. Actor Colleen Haskell, 44. Actor Lindsay Price, 44. Actor Ashley Madekwe, 39. Actor Nora Kirkpatrick, 36. Christian rock musician Jacob Chesnut (Rush of Fools), 31. Tennis player CoCo Vandeweghe, 29. Thought for today: “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: You haven’t.”