Edsel
July 15, 1957
The first official day of production of the automobile that would come to symbolize failure in popular culture.
First Manned Flight to Land on the Moon
July 16, 1969
Apollo 11 is launched, landing on the Moon four days later. Neil Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface six hours after landing on July 21, with Buzz Aldrin following him shortly thereafter. Aldrin would later joke that while Armstrong was the first man to walk on the Moon, he was the first to piss his pants on the Moon.
They also left behind a laser reflector which was used to prove the Moon was 131.2 feet farther away than previously believed.
Disneyland
July 17, 1955
Walt Disney‘s theme park opens in Anaheim, California. Future U.S. President Ronald Reagan was one of anchors for the live TV broadcast of the opening ceremonies. The televised ceremonies were produced by Art Linkletter, who was celebrating his 43rd birthday that day.
The previous year, Walt Disney created the TV series Walt Disney’s Disneyland to help promote and finance the development of the park. The show’s stories took place in Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and Frontierland, which corresponded to sections of the park.