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October 16: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

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Facts & Historic Events That Happened on October 16

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October 16th is Department Store Day and Dictionary Day.

Today marks day 290 of the year, and we have 76 days remaining in 2024.

If you’re thirsty for knowledge on the past happenings of October 16, then you’re in the right place! Let us quench your thirst with these historical events that all happened on this day.

Did you know that on this day in 1923, the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio was founded by Walt and his brother Roy O. Disney? It would change its name 63 years later to The Walt Disney Company.

Keep reading for more fun & interesting facts about October 16th in history!

Events

What memorable events happened on October 16 in history? Keep reading to find out!

2024

Prada teamed up with Axiom Space to create the spacesuits for NASA’s Artemis III mission to the Moon.

OTD in 2024: Prada teamed up with Axiom Space to create the spacesuits for NASA’s Artemis III mission to the Moon.

Prada and aerospace company Axiom Space unveiled the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit, designed for NASA’s Artemis III mission. The suit was showcased at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan.

2019

The Netflix movie “Bird Box” and the TV series “Stranger Things” was reported to be Netflix’s most popular for 2019.

2019

A camera in London Zoo became the first camera to take selfies powered by plants.

Pete the Fern provided the energy utilizing microbial energy production.

2017

Astronomers witnessed the first neutron star collision.

OTD in 2017: Astronomers witnessed the first neutron star collision.

The collision proved how heavy elements such as gold could be created.

2016

The 85-year-old athlete Ed Whitlock broke a world record after completing a sub-4-hour marathon.

Whitlock passed the finish line in 3 hours and 56 minutes.

2001

Capcom released Devil May Cry, a game based loosely on Dante’s Divine Comedy.

When we say loosely, we mean extremely loosely, as other than having demons and a main character called Dante, there’s little else to do with Dante’s epic poem. In fact, Devil May Cry started as a Resident Evil game, an idea that was dropped as the game’s theme was too “cool” and not gritty enough for the horror series.

1996

A stampede of 47,000 football fans killed 84 people and injured 180 more in Guatemala City.

OTD in 1996: A stampede of 47

The disaster happened when the fans went to watch the World Cup and overfilled the stadium passed capacity. People were crushed and suffocated, and physical fights broke out as fans struggled for space leading to panic and stampede.

1973

Maynard Jackson was elected as the first black Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia.

1962

The Cuban Missile Crisis began.

President Kennedy was informed of photos taken of missiles placed by the Soviet Union in Cuba which were capable of reaching the United States. The following thirteen days were incredibly tense, with the two nations coming closer than ever to full-scale nuclear war.

1923

Walt and Roy O. Disney founded the Walt Disney Company.

OTD in 1923: Walt and Roy O. Disney founded the Walt Disney Company.

1847

The English writer Charlotte Bronte’s novel “Jane Eyre” was published by Smith, Elder & Co.

1829

The Tremont Hotel in Boston became the first modern hotel in the United States.

One of the heights of luxury was having indoor plumbing.

1813

The Battle of Leipzig began.

OTD in 1813: The Battle of Leipzig began.

It was the largest European battle before World War I. Also known as The Battle of Nations, it took place in Leipzig, Germany. It was fought between Austria, Prussia, Sweden, and Russia, who won against the French Empire and Polish, Italian and German troops.

1793

Queen Marie Antoinette was executed during the French Revolution.

690 AD

Empress Wu Zetian proclaimed herself ruler of the Chinese Empire.

Her reign began on October 17, when she took to the throne of the Tang dynasty. Thus, Empress Wu Zetian was the first and only female ruler of the Chinese Empire.

Famous Births

Are you celebrating your birthday today? If so, did you know that you share the same birthday as John Mayer? See what other famous people were born on this day.

1977

John Mayer

American

Singer

John Mayer

Age:

47 years old

Born In:

Connecticut, USA

1981

Caterina Scorsone

Canadian

Actress

Caterina Scorsone

Age:

43 years old

Born In:

Ontario, Canada

1962

Flea

Australian-American

Musician

Flea

Age:

62 years old

Born In:

Victoria, Australia

1854

Oscar Wilde

Irish

Poet

Oscar Wilde

Died On:

Nov 30, 1900 (Age 46)

Born In:

Dublin, Ireland

Famous Deaths

Unfortunately, October 16th has also been a day where we’ve had to say some goodbyes over the years…

1993

2024

Liam Payne

English

Singer

Liam Payne

1993

2024

Liam Payne

Liam Payne was an English singer born on August 29, 1993. He died on this day in 2024, at age 31 in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Died On:

Oct 16, 2024 (Age 31)

Died In:

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Quotes

Below are the most famous quotes people have said or written on this day throughout history.

2016

My 10th grade teacher told me “RuPaul, don’t take life too seriously.” It was the greatest lesson I ever learned in school.

RuPaul

RuPaul

American Drag Queen

1939

Will people ever be wise enough to refuse to follow bad leaders or to take away the freedom of other people?

Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt

American First Lady

Special Holidays

Are you looking for something to do today? Then why not find time today to celebrate the following special holidays.

October 16: National Dictionary Day
United States

National Dictionary Day

Today we celebrate not just National Dictionary Day but also the birthday of Noah Webster, the man responsible for creating the American English Dictionary. So what better way to honor him than by reading his dictionary, Webster’s Dictionary, and learning some new words?

October 16: National Department Store Day
United States

National Department Store Day

It’s hard to believe that department stores have only been around since the 19th century! They’re pretty incredible places, really – where else can you buy a pair of leggings and some Lego in the same place? So celebrate Department Store Day by visiting your favorite one!

THe Fact Site’s

Fun Fact Of The Day

The phrase “Fed Up” comes from falconry, as when the bird has been “fed” for the day, it will no longer hunt or do any work.

Birthday & Zodiac

Everyone who was born on October 16th shares the same star sign, Libra.

Libra is represented by the scales. The scales are the only inanimate object out of all the zodiacs, and just like scales, Libras are obsessed with symmetry and have a passion for perfect balance.

For those of you born in October, you have the Pink Tourmaline birthstone. Opal was originally the recognized birthstone for October, but in 1952 the pink tourmaline became an alternate stone to opal.

People born on this day were likely conceived on or around January 23 in the same year.

A baby conceived on this day will likely be born around July 9, 2025.

Fact Check

We have a thorough fact-checking process and a dedicated team verifying our content for accuracy. However, occasionally, we may get things wrong, or information becomes outdated. If you believe something to be incorrect, please leave us a message below.

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