On this day: January 1

POSTED: 1:21 PM PST December 31, 2012    UPDATED: 11:00 PM PST December 31, 2012 
Ellis Island, original 1892 building

Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation, Ellis Island opens, the Rose Bowl becomes the first college bowl game, Hank Williams dies, and the Y2K panic fizzles out, all on this day.