50+ Lifestyles

October History

October – a strange word for the tenth month of the year. After all, “octo” means “eight” Octopus. Octagon. Now “October” was once the eighth month of the calendar, the Roman calendar. Then some one decided to add January and February to the mix. So that moved October into the tenth slot. I remember learning something like this in school. Do you? I bet the school kids today don’t. Maybe you can share this with your grandchildren.

Did you know that in most years January starts on the same day of the week as does October. However, in leap years, no other month starts on the same day as does October. Just a little fun fact!

The Russian revolution in October of 1917 has caused this month to be dubbed “Red October.” Another fun fact.

Some important and/or fun dates:

October 1 International Day of Older persons
October 1, 1971 Walt Disney World opens in Florida
October 1, 1982 EPCOT Center at Disney World opens
October 2, 1970 Plane carrying Wichita State University football team crashes killing 30
October 2, 1944 Warsaw Uprising
October 2, 1962 The Tonight Show Johnny Carson
October 3, 1956 Mickey Mouse Club
October 3 Change a Light Day
October 3, 1985 Soweto Riots South Africa
October 5, 1962 The Beatles release their first record “Love Me Do”
October 5 World Habitat Day
October 6 National German-American Day
October 8, 2005 Pakistan Earthquake
October 9, 1967 Che Guevara, revolutionary
October 10 National Cake Decorating Day
October 10 1865 John Hyatts patents billard ball
October 11 1987 The Hunt For The Loch Ness Monster
October 12 2000 USS Cole Terrorist Bombing
October 13 1971 1st World Series night game (Pittsburgh 4-Baltimore 3)
October 13 1960 Nixon – Kennedy Debates
October 14 1947 Chuck Yeager breaking the “Sound Barrier”
October 14 International Top Spinning Day
October 16 1967 Anti Vietnam War Protests
October 16 1992 1,700th David Letterman Show
October 20 1960 1st fully mechanized post office opened, Providence, RI
October 25 1870 Postcards 1st used in U.S.
October 28 1959 Buffalo Bills enter AFL
October 30 1888 John J Loud patents ballpoint pen
October 30 1938 War Of The Worlds Radio Broadcast
October 31 2006 Bob Barker, from The Price is Right, retires after 35 years as host
October 31 Halloween (short for Hallowed Evening – the night before All Saints Day)