This week in history
20 anniversaries falling this week, from 1542 to 2008. Five minutes each, with the sources left in plain sight.
1888History
Above the Capital: The Washington Monument Opens to the Public
On October 9, 1888, the Washington Monument officially opened to the public. Its passenger elevator offered visitors a new perspective on the nation’s capital after decades of construction and preparation.
HistoryAlvin York in the Argonne: The Action Behind the Medal of HonorOn October 8, 1918, Corporal Alvin York assumed command after his patrol suffered heavy casualties near Chatel-Chéhéry, France. He and the surviving soldiers brought back 132 German prisoners.
1956HistoryDon Larsen’s Perfect Game: No Hits, No Walks, No BaserunnersOn October 8, 1956, Don Larsen retired every Brooklyn Dodgers batter in Game 5 of the World Series. The Yankees won 2–0 behind his 97-pitch performance.
More from this week
- 2008Falcon 1: The Launch That Reached OrbitScience · September 28On September 28, 2008, SpaceX's Falcon 1 reached Earth orbit on its fourth attempt. It became the first privately developed, liquid-fueled rocket to do so.
- 1993The Battle of Mogadishu BeginsHistory · October 3On October 3, 1993, an American raid in Mogadishu escalated into a fierce battle after two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down. Fighting and rescue operations continued into the following morning.
- 1958Before Mercury Had a Name: NASA’s Human Spaceflight DecisionHistory · October 7On October 7, 1958, NASA approved the project that became Mercury. Its goals joined orbital flight, research on human performance and safe recovery in one engineering program.
- 1954USS Nautilus Joins the NavyHistory · September 30On September 30, 1954, USS Nautilus entered service as the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, opening a new chapter in naval history.
- 1935Hoover Dam Is DedicatedHistory · September 30On September 30, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the immense dam rising above the Colorado River—a landmark of American engineering built during the Great Depression.
- 1927Carving Begins at Mount RushmoreHistory · October 4On October 4, 1927, workers began carving Mount Rushmore. Over fourteen years, a granite mountainside became a monumental sculpture of four American presidents.
- 1924The First Flight Around the World Comes HomeScience · September 28On September 28, 1924, two U.S. Army aircraft landed in Seattle, completing the first aerial circumnavigation of the world after a journey lasting nearly six months.
- 1916Georgia Tech 222, Cumberland 0: The Game Behind the Impossible ScoreHistory · October 7On October 7, 1916, Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland 222–0 in Atlanta. Contemporary reporting and a surviving football help separate the documented game from its later legends.
- 1907The First Stone of Washington National CathedralHistory · September 29On September 29, 1907, the foundation stone of Washington National Cathedral was laid. The final stone would be placed exactly 83 years later.
- 1871The Peshtigo Fire: The Deadlier Disaster on Chicago’s Darkest NightHistory · October 8On October 8, 1871, fire devastated Peshtigo and surrounding communities in Wisconsin. An estimated 1,200 to 2,400 people died across the affected area.
- 1871The Great Chicago Fire: How the Flames Spread and a Legend Took HoldHistory · October 8On October 8, 1871, a fire began on Chicago’s West Side. It devastated the city, left approximately 100,000 people homeless and produced a lasting myth about its cause.
- 1862Perryville: Why Gaining Ground Did Not Win KentuckyHistory · October 8On October 8, 1862, Confederate attacks forced Union troops backward at Perryville. The Confederate retreat that night nevertheless ended the campaign without securing Kentucky.
- 1813The Battle of the ThamesHistory · October 5On October 5, 1813, American forces defeated British troops and their Indigenous allies at the Battle of the Thames. Shawnee leader Tecumseh died in the fighting, dealing a devastating blow to his Indigenous confederacy.
- 1781The Siege of Yorktown BeginsHistory · September 28On September 28, 1781, American and French forces advanced on Yorktown and began surrounding the British army. The campaign would lead to one of the most consequential victories of the American Revolution.
- 1780Kings Mountain: The Militia Battle That Changed the Southern CampaignHistory · October 7On October 7, 1780, Patriot militia surrounded Patrick Ferguson’s Loyalist force at Kings Mountain. The short battle ended with Ferguson dead and his force defeated.
- 1777The Second Battle of Saratoga: How a British Advance Became a RetreatHistory · October 7On October 7, 1777, American troops broke up a British reconnaissance near Saratoga and captured a crucial fortified position. Ten days later, Burgoyne surrendered his army.
- 1542When Cabrillo's Ships Entered San Diego BayHistory · September 28On September 28, 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo's expedition entered the bay now known as San Diego Bay. The area was already the homeland of the Kumeyaay people.
