Launch of Apollo 7
On October 11, 1968, NASA launched Apollo 7, the first crewed mission of the Apollo program. The success of Apollo 7 would prove to be a crucial turning point, restoring faith in NASA’s ability to send humans safely to the Moon.
This Day in History
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Trans-Mississippi Philatelic Expo Issue
On October 10, 1934, eager stamp collectors crowded the mezzanine of Omaha’s Hotel Fontenelle, waiting in line for the chance to buy a brand-new souvenir sheet featuring the majestic granite cliffs of Yosemite National Park. Released to commemorate the Trans-Mississippi Philatelic Exposition, the sheets sold out in less than an hour, leaving many empty-handed but cementing the issue’s place in stamp-collecting history.
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Arrival of the Restauration
On October 9, 1825, the small sloop Restauration arrived in the United States, marking what is often considered the first organized emigration from Norway to America. This voyage represented not just a physical journey across the Atlantic, but the beginning of a long and significant chapter in the history of Norwegian-American immigration.
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Peshtigo Fire – Deadliest Wildfire in History
On October 8, 1871, a devastating wildfire swept through northeastern Wisconsin, destroying entire towns and claiming an estimated 1,500 to 2,500 lives. Known as the Peshtigo Fire, it remains the deadliest wildfire in US history, yet it is often overshadowed by the Great Chicago Fire, which began the very same night.
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JFK Signs Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
On October 7, 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with the Soviet Union and United Kingdom. Though it didn’t ban nuclear weapons entirely, the treaty forbid testing in the atmosphere, in space, and underwater.
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Birth of Fannie Lou Hamer
Fannie Lou Hamer was born on October 6, 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi. The youngest of 20 children in a family of sharecroppers, Hamer grew up in poverty but would later rise to become one of the most important voices of the civil rights movement. With her powerful speeches, unshakable courage, and belief in equality, she helped transform the struggle for voting rights in the United States.
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Birth of Robert Goddard
Robert Hutchings Goddard, often called the “Father of Modern Rocketry,” was born on October 5, 1882, in Worcester, Massachusetts. From an early age, Goddard showed a restless curiosity about the world around him, asking questions and performing experiments that hinted at the groundbreaking discoveries he would one day make.
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Work Begins on Mount Rushmore
On October 4, 1927, work officially began on one of America’s most iconic monuments: the carving of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The project was led by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, whose vision and persistence transformed a simple idea into a towering symbol of national pride and unity.
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Reunification of Germany
On October 3, 1990, East and West Germany were officially reunited after decades of division. This event marked the end of one of the most striking symbols of the Cold War—the separation of a nation and its people. For Germans, it was not only a political event, but also an emotional and cultural homecoming that reshaped Europe.
