1. On December 17, 1835, the Texas revolutionary army, led by General Cos, surrendered to Texan forces at the Siege of Béxar, marking a significant victory for the Texan independence movement.
2. The first telegraph line in Texas was established on December 17, 1854, connecting San Antonio to Indianola, a port on the Gulf of Mexico.
3. December 17, 1903 saw the birth of Ernie Koy, a baseball player from Bellville, Texas who played for the New York Giants and served in the military during World War II.
4. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) was established on December 17, 1969, with the first classes beginning in 1973. Today, UTSA is a thriving research university with over 30,000 students.
5. On December 17, 1986, a fire at the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico claimed the lives of 98 people, including several from Texas who were in the area on vacation. The tragedy sparked new safety regulations and led to major reforms in the hotel industry.