On this day, Nov. 21

1789 North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

1922 A $1 million fire destroyed three buildings at the Duquesne Steel Foundry. 1942 The Alaska Highway, also known as the Alcan Highway, was formally opened at Soldier’s Summit in the Yukon Territory. 1966 Former Pittsburgh Mayor and Pennsylvania Gov. David L. Lawrence, who on Nov. 4 suffered a heart attack while attending a political rally at the Syria Mosque, died.

1987 Volkswagen’s Westmoreland County plant, dedicated with fanfare on Oct. 5, 1976, was slated to close, with 2,500 people losing their jobs.

2011 Congress’ bipartisan deficit reduction “supercommittee,” tasked with finding $1.2 trillion in cuts over a decade, failed to do so.

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: Actor Laurence Luckinbill, 87. Actor Marlo Thomas, 84. Actor Rick Lenz, 82. Actor Juliet Mills, 80. Basketball Hall of Famer Earl Monroe, 77. Television producer Marcy Carsey, 77. Actor Goldie Hawn, 76. Movie director Andrew Davis, 75. Rock musician Lonnie Jordan (War), 73. Singer Livingston Taylor, 71. Actor-singer Lorna Luft, 69. Actor Cherry Jones, 65. Rock musician Brian Ritchie (The Violent Femmes), 61. Gospel singer Steven Curtis Chapman, 59. Actor

Nicollette Sheridan, 58. Singer-actor Bjork, 56. Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, 55. Rock musician Alex James (Blur), 53. Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., 52. Football player-turned-TV personality Michael Strahan, 50. Actor Rain Phoenix, 49. Actor Marina de Tavira, 48. Country singer Kelsi Osborn (SHeDAISY), 47. Actor Jimmi Simpson, 46. Singer-actor Lindsey Haun, 37. Actor Jena Malone, 37. Pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen, 36. Actor-singer Sam Palladio, 35. Thought for today: “We are always doing, says he, something for posterity, but I would fain see posterity do something for us.”

— Joseph Addison, English essayist and

poet (1672-1719)