1. In 1864, during the American Civil War, Union General William T. Sherman's troops arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, beginning their siege of the city that would last until early September.

2. On July 18, 1959, the Georgia Historical Society unveiled a historical marker near the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta, recognizing his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

3. In 1968, the Atlanta Crackers held their final game at Ponce de Leon Park, marking the end of an era for the minor league baseball team.

4. July 18, 1996, was the opening ceremony for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The event was memorable for Muhammad Ali, who lit the Olympic flame despite his Parkinson's disease.

5. In 2008, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced that the state had hit a record high for exports, with $29.4 billion in sales for the previous year.