Today in History – October 24th

Published October 24, 2012 |

1360, The Treaty of Bretigny is ratified at Calais, marking the end of 1st phase of the Hundred Years’ War.
1537, Jane Seymour, consort of Henry VIII of England (b. 1508) died.
1590, John White, governor of the second Roanoke Colony, returns to England after an unsuccessful search for the “lost” colonists.
1601, Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer (b. 1546) died.
1648, The Peace of Westphalia is signed, marking the end of the Thirty Years’ War.
1795, Partitions of Poland: The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is completely divided among Austria, Prussia, and Russia
1812, Napoleonic Wars: The Battle of Maloyaroslavets takes place near Moscow.
1851, William Lassell discovers the moons Umbriel and Ariel (moon) orbiting Uranus.
1855, James S. Sherman, American politician & 27th Vice President of the United States (d. 1912) was born.
1857, Sheffield F.C., the world’s 1st football club, is founded in Sheffield, England.
1861, 1st Transcontinental Telegraph line across the US is completed, spelling the end for the 18-month-old Pony Express.
1901, Annie Edson Taylor becomes 1st person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
1911, Orville Wright remains in the air 9 minutes and 45 seconds in a Wright Glider at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.
1915, Bob Kane, American cartoonist (d. 1998) was born.
1922, George Cadbury, British chocolate and cocoa manufacturer (b. 1839) died.
1926, Harry Houdini’s last performance, which is at the Garrick Theatre in Detroit, Michigan.
1929, “Black Thursday” stock market crash on the New York Stock Exchange.
1930, J.P. Richardson, The Big Bopper, American singer (d. 1959) was born.
1931, The George Washington Bridge opens to public traffic.
1932, Stephen Covey, American author and speaker (d. 2012) was born.
1944, Louis Renault, French car manufacturer (b. 1877) died.
1944, WWII: The Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku, and the battleship Musashi are sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
1945, Founding of the United Nations
1946, A camera on board the V-2 No. 13 rocket takes 1st photograph of earth from outer space.
1947, Walt Disney testifies before House Un-American Activities Committee, naming Disney employees he believes to be communists.
1949, The cornerstone of the United Nations Headquarters is laid.
1954, Dwight D. Eisenhower pledges US support to South Vietnam
1957, The USAF starts the X-20 Dyna-Soar program.
1972, Jackie Robinson, American baseball player (b. 1919) died.
1973, Yom Kippur War ends
1977, Veterans Day is observed on the fourth Monday in October for the seventh and last time.
1991, Gene Roddenberry, American television producer (b. 1921) died.
1994, Raul Julia, Puerto Rican actor (b. 1940) died.
1998, Launch of Deep Space 1 comet/asteroid mission
2002, Police arrest spree killers John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, ending Beltway sniper attacks around Washington, DC.
2005, Rosa Parks, American civil rights activist (b. 1913) died.

Chris Rivait

Chris loves history and hopes that Yesteeyear becomes a place where everyone can share their history knowledge. Chris owns an Internet Marketing company, Arrivait Marketing. He has a wonderful wife and four great children.