AUGUST 18 | Birthdays and Events

Notable Birthdays for August 18

Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) - Lead explorer of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Marshall Field (1834-1906) - Founded of department store chain Marshall Field's.

Burleigh Grimes (1893-1985) - The last MLB pitcher to officially throw the spitball.

Margaret Murie (1902-2003) - Adventurist who is considered the "Grandmother of the Conservation Movement."

Robert Redford (1936-Still Living) - Critically acclaimed actor, director, and producer  Butch Cassidy, the Sundance KidAll the President's Men and The Natural).

Patrick Swayze (1952-2009) - Actor with award winning accolades in The Outsiders, Red Dawn, and Dirty Dancing.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner (1970-2025) - Actor fondly remembered for his role as Theo Huxtable on the sitcom The Cosby Show.

Memorable Events for August 18

1840 - The American Society of Dental Surgeons is founded.

1872 - Aaron Montgomery Ward (Montgomery Wards) issues the first mail-order catalog.

1919 - The Anti-Cigarette League of America forms in Chicago, IL.

1938 - President Roosevelt dedicates The Thousand Islands Bridge, connecting New York and Ontario, Canada.

1956 - Elvis Presley's Hound Dog and Don't Be Cruel reach #1 in the charts.

1963 - James Meredith becomes the first Black graduate from the University of Mississippi.

1988 - The FDA approves Minoxidil as a hair loss treatment.