This Day in USA History
October 18

Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: ken@kpolsson.com
URL: http://kpolsson.com/thisday/usa/
(this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing a single day's events)

What happened in history on this day: October 18?

On October 18 in ...

  • 1776 - Colonel John Glover and Marblehead regiment meet British Forces in Bronx.
  • 1859 - Robert E. Lee recaptures the federal armoury at Harper's Ferry, Virginia.
  • 1862 - Morgan's raiders capture the federal garrison at Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
  • 1867 - US takes formal possession of Alaska from Russia.
  • 1892 - First commercial long-distance phone line opens (Chicago-New York).
  • 1898 - Spain formally cedes Puerto Rico to the USA.
  • 1924 - Notre Dame beats Army 13-7 in football; New York Herald Tribune newspaper dubs them the Four Horsemen.
  • 1954 - Hurricane Hazel (third of 1954) becomes most severe to hit US.
  • 1962 - Dr Watson (US) and Drs Crick and Wilkins (Great Britain) win Nobel Prize for Medicine for work in determining structure of DNA.
  • 1962 - US launches Ranger 5 for lunar impact; misses Moon.
  • 1967 - Buena Vista releases Disney's animated feature film The Jungle Book to theaters. This is the last animated feature personally produced by Walt Disney.
  • 1968 - Circus Circus hotel/casino opens on Las Vegas Boulevard, Nevada.
  • 1969 - US Federal government bans use of cyclamates artificial sweetener.
  • 1973 - US President Richard Nixon signs the Bicentennial Coinage Act into law, providing for commemorative quarter dollar, half dollar, and dollar coins. The coins can be issued between July 4, 1775 and January 1, 1977, bearing the dual date "1776-1976".
  • 1985 - Nintendo releases the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the United States, in New York City. Special displays are set up in department, toy, and electronics stores. The NES comes with the Robotic Operating Buddy and the Zapper light gun. Price is US$125. Seventeen game cartridges are available with the launch of the game system.
  • 1992 - In Northern Colombia, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake occurs.

Births on October 18

  • 1900 - Birth of Paul Irving in Quitman, Arkansas, USA; American innovator in aviation during World War II.
  • 1902 - Birth of Miriam Hopkins in Bainbridge, Georgia, USA; actress (The Outer Limits, Route 66, Studio One, Lux Video Theatre, The Flying Nun).
  • 1915 - Birth of Victor Sen Yung in San Francisco, California, USA; actor (Bonanza, Bachelor Family).
  • 1918 - Birth of Bobby Troup in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; pianist/actor (Emergency TV show, Acapulco).
  • 1924 - Birth of Allyn Ferguson in San Jose, California, USA; orchestra leader (Andy Williams Show).
  • 1926 - Birth of Chuck Berry in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA; rocker ("Roll over Beethoven").
  • 1926 - Birth of George C Scott in Wise, Virginia, USA; actor (Patton, Bible, Taps, Hardcore).
  • 1927 - Birth of Katherine Fanning in Chicago, Illinois, USA; editor (Christian Science Monitor - 1983).
  • 1928 - Birth of Keith Jackson in Carrolton, Georgia, USA; sportscaster (ABC Monday Night Football).
  • 1933 - Birth of Peter Boyle in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (Joe, Candidate).
  • 1935 - Birth of John B Coleman in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; hotel magnate (Ritz Carlton).
  • 1947 - Birth of Joe Morton in New York City, New York, USA; actor (Hal - Grady, Eureka, Equal Justice).
  • 1947 - Birth of Laura Nyro in the Bronx, New York, USA; singer/songwriter ("Eli's Coming", "Stoney End").
  • 1950 - Birth of Merry Martin in Camden, Michigan, USA; actress (Leslie - Peter Loves Mary).
  • 1951 - Birth of Pam Dawber in Detroit, Michigan, USA; actress (Mindy - Mork and Mindy, My Sister Sam).
  • 1960 - Birth of Erin Moran in Burbank, California, USA; actress (Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi).
  • 1961 - Birth of Wynton Marsalis in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; jazz trumpeter (Grammy award 1983).
  • 1962 - Birth of Vincent Spano in Brooklyn, New York, USA; actor (Alphabet City, Maria's Lovers, Prince Street, Search for Tomorrow).
  • 1971 - Birth of Karen J McNenny in Missoula, Montana, USA; Miss Montana-America (1991).
  • 1977 - Birth of Chris McKenna in Queens, New York; actor (Joey - One Life to Live).

Deaths on October 18

  • 1931 - Death of Thomas Alva Edison at age 84 in West Orange, New Jersey, USA; American inventor and businessman (phonograph, light bulb).
  • 1982 - Bess Truman, former First Lady of the US, dies in Independence, Missouri at age 97 (born 1885).
  • 2021 - Death of Colin Powell at age 84 of Covid-19; American soldier (four-star general), recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom, national security advisor to President Ronald Reagan, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to President George H.W. Bush, secretary of State to President George W. Bush.

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Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/thisday/usa/
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