On November 3, 1879, Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson was born in Manitoba, Canada. Over the course of his life, he became one of the most influential and controversial figures in Arctic exploration—celebrated for his discoveries and criticized for the tragic misfortunes that accompanied some of his expeditions.
On November 2, 1889, South Dakota became the 40th state in the Union. Its admission marked the culmination of decades of westward expansion, frontier settlement, and shifting territorial boundaries that shaped the northern Great Plains into a permanent part of the United States.
On November 1, 1897, the doors of America’s Library of Congress opened to the public, offering a glimpse into a growing national treasure and the knowledge of the world. From its humble beginnings in the US Capitol to its status today as one of the largest libraries on Earth, the Library of Congress has played a vital role in preserving the intellectual and cultural heritage of the United States.
On October 31, 1941, the Atlantic became a battlefield for the United States even before the country had formally entered World War II. The German submarine attack on the USS Reuben James marked the first time an American Navy ship was destroyed during the conflict, foreshadowing the coming fight across the globe.
On October 30, 1974, Muhammad Ali faced off against heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman in one of the most famous matches in sports history — the “Rumble in the Jungle.”
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.
On September 26, 1820, famed American pioneer and explorer Daniel Boone died in St. Charles County, Missouri. Boone was a legendary American frontiersman and explorer whose daring adventures helped open the wilderness of Kentucky to early settlers.
Explorer, soldier, and politician Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774, in Ivy, Albemarle County, Virginia. Best known for the Lewis and Clark Expedition, he went on to serve as governor of the Louisiana Territory.
On July 24, 1911, Hiram Bingham became one of the first Americans to explore the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. Relatively unknown to the outside world at the time, his expedition brought it international attention, changing our understanding of ancient civilizations in South America.
Stephen Fuller Austin was born on November 3, 1793, in Wythe County (present-day Austinville), Virginia. Known as the “Father of Texas,” he led the first successful American settlement there.
Though the District of Columbia has served as our nation’s capital since 1791, its residents didn’t get to vote in their first presidential election until November 3, 1964.
On November 3, 1900, the first modern auto show opened in New York City. Today, the New York Auto Show is held in April and usually has more than one million visitors.
On November 3, 1994, the USPS issued a souvenir sheet honoring the 100th anniversary of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing producing US postage stamps. A relatively small number of sheets were discovered with a rare double transfer.
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