On this day, July 16

1790 A site along the Potomac River was designated the permanent seat of the United States government; the area became Washington, D.C.

1928 The first film “talkie,” titled “Tenderloin,” was introduced at the Stanley Theater. Previewers said it had less than 10 minutes of “audible” dialogue, and one commented the “project is so new that its possibilities scarcely can be gauged yet.”

1956 The last canvas tent performance of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows was given at Heidelberg Raceways, marking the end of an era of entertainment.

1969 Apollo 11 blasted off from Cape Kennedy on the first manned mission to the surface of the moon.

1987 President Ronald Reagan awarded Pittsburgh the status of “All-American City.”

2008 Florida resident Casey Anthony, whose 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, had been missing a month, was arrested on charges of child neglect, making false official statements and obstructing a criminal investigation. (Casey Anthony was later acquitted at trial of murdering Caylee, whose skeletal remains were found in December 2008; she was convicted of lying to police.)

Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin

Today’s birthdays: Soul singer William Bell, 82. International Tennis Hall of Famer Margaret Court, 79. College Football Hall of Famer and football coach Jimmy Johnson, 78. Violinist Pinchas Zukerman, 73. Actor-singer Ruben Blades, 73. Rock composer-musician Stewart Copeland, 69. Playwright Tony Kushner, 65. Actor Faye Grant, 64. Dancer Michael Flatley, 63. Actor Phoebe Cates, 58. Actor Paul Hipp, 58. Actor Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, 56. Actor-comedian Will Ferrell, 54. Actor Jonathan Adams, 54. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, 53. Actor Rain Pryor, 52. Actor Corey Feldman, 50. Rock musician Ed Kowalczyk (Live), 50. Rock singer Ryan McCombs (Drowning Pool), 47. Actor Jayma Mays, 42. Actor AnnaLynne McCord, 34. Actor-singer James Maslow, 31. Actor Mark Indelicato, 27. Pop singer-musician Luke Hemmings (5 Seconds to Summer), 25.

Thought for today: “If sentiment doesn’t ultimately make fibbers of some people, their natural abominable memories almost certainly will.”