The Erie Canal Opens
The Erie Canal opened on October 26, 1825, linking the Great Lakes to New York City and cutting freight costs sharply.
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway Opens
On September 15, 1830, the Liverpool to Manchester railway opened, the first modern intercity line, and killed MP William Huskisson.
Elias Howe Patents the Lockstitch Sewing Machine
On September 10, 1846, Elias Howe patented the lockstitch sewing machine, the design that made machine sewing practical.
The Gold Panic of 1869 Ruins Thousands on Wall Street
On September 24, 1869, gold prices collapsed in New York, ending a corner engineered by Jay Gould and James Fisk and ruining thousands.
The World's First Hydroelectric Power Station Starts Operating
On September 30, 1882, the Vulcan Street Plant in Appleton, Wisconsin, became the world's first hydroelectric power station.
The Orient Express Makes Its First Journey
On October 4, 1883, the Orient Express left Paris on its first run, bound for the Ottoman capital.
George Eastman Patents the Kodak Camera and Registers the Trademark
On September 4, 1888, George Eastman patented the Kodak roll-film camera and registered the Kodak name, opening photography to the mass market.
Fusajiro Yamauchi Founds Nintendo in Kyoto
On September 23, 1889, Nintendo was founded in Kyoto by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda playing cards.
General Motors Is Founded by William Durant in Flint
On September 16, 1908, William Durant incorporated General Motors in Flint, Michigan, beginning the consolidation of the American car industry.
The First Ford Model T Is Built at the Piquette Plant
On September 27, 1908, Ford built the first Model T at its Piquette plant in Detroit, beginning the age of the cheap car.
The Gamboa Dike Is Blown, Completing the Panama Canal
The Gamboa dike was blown on October 10, 1913, flooding the Culebra Cut and completing the Panama Canal after 33 years of work.
KLM Is Founded, the Oldest Airline Still Flying Under Its Own Name
KLM was founded in The Hague on October 7, 1919, and remains the oldest airline in the world flying under its original name.
The British Broadcasting Company Is Founded
The British Broadcasting Company was founded on October 18, 1922, and became the public BBC in 1927.
The Soviet Union Launches Its First Five-Year Plan
On October 1, 1928, the Soviet Union launched its first five-year plan, forcing industrialization and collectivization.
Wall Street Crashes on Black Thursday
Wall Street crashed on October 24, 1929, known as Black Thursday. The crash began the Great Depression.
Black Tuesday on Wall Street
The Wall Street crash continued on 28 October 1929 with the Dow falling nearly 13 per cent in a day, opening the contraction that became the Depression.
The Liner Queen Mary Is Launched at Clydebank
On September 26, 1934, the Queen Mary was launched at Clydebank, the largest British liner built to that date.
Hoover Dam Is Dedicated
On September 30, 1935, Franklin Roosevelt dedicated Hoover Dam, the tallest dam in the world, on the Colorado River.
The GATT Is Signed
On October 30, 1947, twenty-three nations signed the GATT to cut tariffs and open world trade.
Soichiro Honda Founds the Honda Motor Company
On September 24, 1948, Soichiro Honda founded the Honda Motor Company in Japan with 34 workers and a bicycle engine.
The First Transistor Radio Goes on Sale
On October 18, 1954, Texas Instruments announced the Regency TR-1, the first transistor radio sold to the public, a pocket sized set.
ITV Goes on Air and Ends the BBC Television Monopoly
On September 22, 1955, ITV launched in London, ending the BBC's 19-year monopoly of British television.
Bill Gates Is Born in Seattle
On October 28, 1955, Bill Gates, who founded Microsoft and later set up a large philanthropic foundation, was born in Seattle.
Japan's Shinkansen Begins High-Speed Service
On October 1, 1964, Japan's Tokaido Shinkansen opened between Tokyo and Osaka at 210 km/h.
Work Begins on the Tazara Railway
On October 28, 1970, construction began on the Tazara railway, built with Chinese aid to link Zambia to the coast at Dar es Salaam.
The Arab Oil Embargo Triggers the Energy Crisis
The Arab oil embargo began on October 16, 1973, after an OPEC price rise, and oil prices roughly quadrupled within months.
The Plaza Accord Is Signed to Bring Down the Dollar
On September 22, 1985, five nations signed the Plaza Accord at the Plaza Hotel in New York to drive down the value of the US dollar.
London's Financial Big Bang
On October 27, 1986, Britain's Big Bang deregulated the City of London, opening it to global finance.
Stock Markets Crash on Black Monday
On October 19, 1987, the Dow Jones fell 22.6 percent, its worst one-day drop ever. The Black Monday crash spread to markets worldwide.
Pierre Omidyar Launches AuctionWeb, the Site That Became eBay
On September 3, 1995, Pierre Omidyar launched AuctionWeb in San Jose, a site renamed eBay two years later that changed online selling.
The First Internet Bank Opens
On October 18, 1995, Security First Network Bank opened as the first US bank to run entirely over the internet, with no branches.
The Yellow River Is Diverted at Xiaolangdi
On October 28, 1997, the Yellow river was diverted at Xiaolangdi and the dam was closed, a key step in a large flood control project.
Google Is Incorporated by Larry Page and Sergey Brin
On September 4, 1998, Larry Page and Sergey Brin incorporated Google in California, built around the PageRank link algorithm.
World Population Reaches Seven Billion
On October 31, 2011, the United Nations marked the world population reaching seven billion, twelve years after it passed six billion.