This day in history

In 1790, the Coast Guard had its beginnings as the Revenue Cutter Service.

In 1792, English romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was born at Field Place near Horsham, England.

In 1830, plans for the city of Chicago were laid out.

In 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were axed to death in their home in Fall River, Mass. Lizzie Borden, Andrew’s daughter from a previous marriage, was accused of the killings, but acquitted at trial.

In 1900, Britain’s Queen Mother Elizabeth was born.

In 1916, the United States reached agreement with Denmark to purchase the Danish Virgin Islands for $25 million.

In 1964, the bodies of missing civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney were found buried in an earthen dam in Mississippi.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed a measure establishing the Department of Energy.

In 1987, the Federal Communications Commission voted to abolish the Fairness Doctrine, which required radio and television stations to present balanced coverage of controversial issues.

Ten years ago: On the eve of congressional votes on the Republicans’ $792 billion tax cut proposal, President Bill Clinton again pledged a veto, saying the GOP package was "risky and plainly wrong.”

Actor Victor Mature died in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. at age 86 (although some references said he was as young as 83).

Five years ago: Richard Smith, a Staten Island ferry pilot, pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges in a crash that killed 11 commuters the previous October, acknowledging that he’d passed out at the helm after arriving at work with medication in his system. (Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison.) Former teacher Mary Kay Letourneau, convicted of having sex with a sixth-grade pupil, was released from a Washington state prison.

One year ago: President George W. Bush signed legislation allowing the State Department to settle all remaining lawsuits against Libya by American victims of terrorism. In a brazen attack just days ahead of the Beijing Olympics, two men from a mainly Muslim ethnic group rammed a truck and hurled explosives at jogging policemen in western China, killing 16.

Birthdays:

Journalist Helen Thomas is 89. Singer Frankie Ford is 70. Actress-singer Tina Cole is 66. Actor-comedian Richard Belzer is 65. Football Hall-of-Famer John Riggins is 60. Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is 54. Actress Kym Karath ("The Sound of Music”) is 51. Track star Mary Decker Slaney is 51. Actress Lauren Tom is 50. TV producer Michael Gelman ("Live with Regis and Kelly”) is 48. Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens is 47. Actress Crystal Chappell is 44. Author Dennis Lehane is 44. Rock musician Rob Cieka (Boo Radleys) is 41. Actor Daniel Dae Kim is 41. Actor Michael DeLuise is 40. Actor Ron Lester is 39. Rapper-actress Yo-Yo is 38. Country singer Jon Nicholson is 36. R&B singer-actor Marques Houston is 28. Actors Dylan and Cole Sprouse are 17.