1. On August 24, 1814, British troops landed on Long Island and attempted to invade New York City during the War of 1812. However, they were repelled by American forces at the Battle of Brooklyn, also known as the Battle of Long Island.

2. The first train robbery in the United States took place on August 24, 1866. A group of robbers stopped a train traveling from Boston to New York and stole $13,000 in cash and gold.

3. In 1981, the IBM Personal Computer was released on August 24, revolutionizing the computer industry and paving the way for the modern personal computer.

4. On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Florida, causing widespread devastation and becoming one of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history. Despite its distance from New York, the city sent aid and support to those affected by the storm.

5. August 24, 2004 marked the opening of the new Freedom Tower office building to replace the former World Trade Center destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The building stands at 1,776 feet tall, and is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.