On October 24, 1861, Western Union joined the eastern and western lines in Salt Lake City, Utah, completing the Transcontinental Telegraph. Soon, intricately engraved stamps were produced for the different telegraph companies to show that messages had been paid for.
On October 23, 1910, Blanche Scott became the first American female pilot to make a public flight. Nicknamed the “Tomboy of the Air,” she became an accomplished stunt pilot, flying the daredevil circuit.
On October 22, 1992, the USPS issued its first stamps that incorporated microprinting in the design. These were also the first stamps to have microprinted text. Today, most US stamps include microprinting as a security feature.
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was born on October 21, 1833, in Stockholm, Sweden.
On October 20, 1960, America’s first automated post office opened in Providence, Rhode Island. Issued that same day, this stamp was so popular it inspired the Post Office to continue producing stamps with postal themes.
US Navy Admiral Arleigh Burke was born on October 19, 1901, in Boulder, Colorado. He Served with distinction during WWII and went on to serve an unprecedented three terms as chief of Naval Operations.
On October 18, 1997, the Women in Military Service for America Memorial (WIMSA) was officially dedicated in Arlington County, Virginia. This stamp was issued at the memorial’s dedication ceremony.
Journalist George Polk was born on October 17, 1913, in Fort Worth, Texas. He served as a Navy pilot during World War II before losing his life reporting on the Greek Civil War in 1948.
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.