Happy Birthday Stephen Austin
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.
This Day in History
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Mail During World War I
On November 2, 1917, the first class mail rate was raised from 2¢ to 3¢ to help cover the cost of the war effort. The extra 1¢ per ounce was charged as a war tax.
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First Traditional Christmas Stamp
On November 1, 1966, the US Post Office issued its first Traditional Christmas stamp, inspired by the popularity of the first Contemporary Christmas stamp four years earlier. By 1970, both stamp themes were so popular, the Post Office created two separate Christmas series that continue to this day.
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Start of the Americana Series
On October 31, 1975, the USPS issued the first stamp in the Americana Series. The patriotically themed stamps picture symbols of our nation as well as Revolution-era objects and buildings.
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War of the Worlds Broadcast
On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles created a panic with his War of the Worlds broadcast, which some listeners believed was a real news story.
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Black Tuesday Stock Market Crash
On October 29, 1929, the worst stock market crash in history occurred, marking the start of the decade-long Great Depression. FDR’s New Deal and Works Progress Administration helped the US recover.
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Grover Cleveland Dedicates Statue of Liberty
On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York harbor. It’s stood as a symbol of the United States ever since and has been featured on dozens of stamps over the years.
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Happy Birthday Teddy Roosevelt
America’s 26th president, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt was born October 27, 1858, in New York City. The youngest man to ever hold the office, he considered one of his greatest achievements to be the Panama Canal.
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First Flight of the P-51 Mustang
On October 26, 1940, the P-51 Mustang completed its first flight. It went on to take down more enemy planes than any other fighter in Europe and was the United Nations’ main fighter plane during the Korean War.
