This Day In History

On October 15, 1940, the Pitcairn Islands Post Office opened, issuing the colony’s first stamps. These stamps were very popular with collectors and eventually helped support most of the colony’s budget.

A gunshot struck Theodore Roosevelt in Milwaukee on October 14, 1912, as he campaigned for president. Bleeding and carrying a bullet in his chest, he insisted on delivering his speech—and spoke for about ninety minutes.

On October 13, 1953, the US Post Office issued a 3¢ stamp honoring the 25th anniversary of the Future Farmers of America. It was issued at the place the organization was founded – Kansas City, Missouri.

On October 12, 1901, the Executive Mansion, the president’s official residence and workplace, was renamed the White House.

On October 15, 1940, the Pitcairn Islands Post Office opened, issuing the colony’s first stamps. These stamps were very popular with collectors and eventually helped support most of the colony’s budget.

On October 6, 1683, thirty-three Germans arrived in Pennsylvania to establish the first major German settlement in America. The settlement would go on to become the birthplace of the anti-slavery movement, first bank of the United States, and more.

On September 28, 1990, the US Postal Service issued two stamps commemorating the Compacts of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The stamps marked a relationship that recognized the two Pacific territories as self-governing and sovereign while maintaining close ties with the United States.

The American Forestry Association was founded on September 10, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois. It’s one of America’s oldest national conservation organizations, with a mission of “Creating Healthy and Resilient Forests, from Cities to Wilderness, that Deliver Essential Benefits for Climate, People, Water and Wildlife.”

The United Way traces its beginnings to October 16, 1887, when a priest, two ministers, and a rabbi met in Denver, Colorado, to find a better way to help their struggling community. That meeting led to the creation of an organized, citywide effort to coordinate charitable giving—a movement that would eventually grow into the United Way of America.

On October 16, 1940, the US Post Office Department issued a set of three stamps to raise support for a strong national defense. Conceived and designed by President Roosevelt, more than 19 billion stamps were sold, more than any other US stamp series up to that time.

On October 16, 1926, the US hosted its second international philatelic exhibition in New York, New York. Among the show’s highlights was the issue of America’s first souvenir sheet.

On October 16, 1934, Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Section of Panting and Sculpture (later known as the Section of Fine Arts).  The Section, as it was called, invited artists across the country to beautify public buildings, including many post offices.