October 18 is the 291st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 74 days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about October 18th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about October 18th in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- National No Beard Day
- National Chocolate Cupcake Day
- National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – October 18
2007: Benazir Bhutto returns to Pakistan
The former Prime Minister of Pakistan and daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the 9th PM of Pakistan, Benazir returned to Pakistan after living 8 years in London and Dubai in a self-imposed exile. Two months later she was assassinated in a bombing while campaigning for the forthcoming elections.
1998: Jesse Pipeline Explosion in Nigeria Kills Over 200
The oil pipeline, which was owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, was situated just outside the city of Lagos. Over 200 people died in the resulting fire that raged for 6 days before it could be put out.
1967: First Space Probe to Enter the Atmosphere of Another Planet
The Soviet Probe Venera 4 entered Venus’ atmosphere and sent back information to Earth for about 90 minutes before it lost contact. When Venera 7 landed on Venus a few years later, it became the first probe to land on another planet.
1867: Alaska Becomes a Part of the United States
US had purchased the large and sparsely populated territory of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The purchase was not seen as a positive acquirement by many American citizens who believed that adding Alaska to the US’s territory was a waste of taxpayers’ money. Many called the act, Seward’s folly after Secretary of State William H. Seward, who was responsible for making the purchase. Alaska was admitted to the Union as a state in 1959. October 18 is annually celebrated as Alaska Day in Alaska.
1851: Moby Dick is Published for the First Time
The epic written by American novelist, Herman Melville, is about a sailor’s obsession with tracking down and killing an elusive whale that took his leg in a previous encounter. The book was published as The Whale in London for the first time and then a month later as Moby Dick in the United States. It is thought to be one of the best works of fiction written in modern times.
1985: Nintendo Entertainment System launched
1867: 18 October 1867, the United States purchased the territory of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, or less than two cents an acre.
Though most Americans thought the agreement to purchase Alaska was a bad deal, it was soon after that they found gold in Alaska’s Klondike River, sparking a gold rush. Today, 25 percent of America’s oil comes from Alaska.
The photo is taken after the 1896 Gold Discovery. Actual date unknown
Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, October 18
1987: Zac Efron, American actor, singer
1984: Lindsey Vonn, American skier
1960: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Belgian martial artist, actor, director
1921: Jesse Helms, American politician
1919: Pierre Trudeau, Canadian politician, 15th Prime Minister of Canada
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, October 18
1973: Leo Strauss, German/American philosopher
1931: Thomas Edison, American businessman, invented the light bulb, phonograph
1871: Charles Babbage, English mathematician, engineer, invented the Difference engine
1744: Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough
1541: Margaret Tudor, English wife of James IV of Scotland