1. In 1945, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima occurred on August 6th, marking the first use of nuclear weapons in wartime. The decision to drop the bomb was made at the Potsdam Conference, which was held in July of that year in New York.

2. On August 6, 1890, convicted murderer William Kemmler became the first person to be executed using an electric chair. The execution took place at Auburn Prison in New York.

3. The Brooklyn Navy Yard was established on August 6, 1801. The yard was a key naval shipbuilding facility during World War II, and was also the site of the construction of the USS Arizona, which was sunk in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

4. On August 6, 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. Ederle, who was born and raised in New York City, completed the swim in 14 hours and 31 minutes.

5. The New York City subway system began operating on August 6, 1904, with the first train running from City Hall to Broadway. Today, the subway is one of the largest and busiest public transportation systems in the world, with 472 stations and over 5 million daily riders.