Today in history 15

Here are some historical events that occurred on March 15th:

1493: Christopher Columbus returns to Spain after his first voyage to the Americas.

1521: Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Philippines, becoming the first European to set foot on the islands.

1817: The first steam-powered locomotive is demonstrated in London.

1867: The United States purchases Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, which is approximately $125 million in today's dollars.

1912: The Titanic's sister ship, the Olympic, collides with a warship in the Solent Strait, causing significant damage.

1939: The first flight of the DC-3 airliner takes place in the United States.

1962: The first Wal-Mart store opens in Rogers, Arkansas, founded by Sam Walton.

1992: The Space Shuttle Discovery launches on a mission to deploy the Hubble Space Telescope.

2003: The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven crew members on board.

These are just a few of the many historical events that have occurred on March 15th.