On this day in 1857, Queen Victoria selected Ottawa, then a small logging town, to be the capital of the British colony of Canada.
On this day in 1907, Times Square in New York City held its first New Year's Eve celebrations with the ball drop.
On this day in 1986, three disgruntled employees set fire to the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, killing 98 people and injuring 140 others, making it the second deadliest hotel fire in United States history.
On this day in 2004, Taipei 101 opened to the public as the world's tallest skyscraper.