The Month of October: History, Holidays & Famous Personalities

History, holidays/events, personalities, birthstones and flowers

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October is the 10th month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It has 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, October is an autumn month, in the Southern Hemisphere it is a spring month.

October takes its name from octo (eight) because it was the eight month in the old Roman calendar which began with March.

In the north temperate zone, October is the time of the pleasant period that in the United States is called Indian summer.

Historical Events

October 1, 331 BC – Alexander the Great defeated Darius III in the Battle of Gaugamela

October 2, 1889 – First pan American Conference held in Washington

October 8, 1871 – Chicago fire began

October 12, 1492 – Christopher Columbus discovered America

October 21, 1805 – Nelson defeated Napoleon’s fleet at Trafalgar

October 24, 1945 – United Nations was organized

October 28, 1636 – Harvard College was founded

October 28, 1886 – Statue of Liberty was dedicated

Birthstone or gemstone: Opal

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The gemstone Opal is said to have the power to predict illness. This is because the opal responds to heat. If you’re sick your temperature increases before signs of illness appear. The increased body heat causes the opal to loose its shine, leaving it dull and lacking color. It is also thought that this elegant gemstone will crack if it is worn by someone who was not born in October.

Flowers: Calendula

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Personalities/Celebrities born on this month

October 1, 1924 – Jimmy Carter, 39th US President, was born

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October 2, 1869 – Mohandas Gandhi was born

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October 2, 1971 – Tiffany, American Singer, was born

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October 2, 1945 – Don Mclean, American songwriter, was born

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October 4, 1822 – Rutherford Hayes, 19th US President, was born

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October 5, 1830 - Chester A. Arthur, 21st US President, was born

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October 10, 1813 – Giuseppe Verdi, Italian opera composer, was born

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October 12, 1935 – Luciano Pavarotti, Italian tenor, was born (d. 2007)

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October 14, 1890 – Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th US President, was born

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October 16, 1758 – Noah Webster, dictionary editor, was born

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October 23, 1954 – Ang Lee, Taiwanese-born director, was born

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October 25, 1881 – Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter and sculptor, born

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October 27, 1858 – Theodore Roosevelt, 26th US President, was born

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October 28, 1967 – Julia Roberts, American actress, was born

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October 29, 1971 – Winona Ryder, American actress, was born

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October 30, 1735 – John Adams, 2nd US President, was born

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Holidays from around the world

Filipino American History Month in the US

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

World Blindness Awareness Month

Thanksgiving Day in Canada

October 1, (1949) – National Day of the People’s Republic of China

October 1, (1960) – Independence Day of Cyprus

October 1, (1960) – Independence of Nigeria

October 1, (1975) – Independence of Tuvalu

October 5 – International World Teacher’s Day

Second Monday - Columbus Day, a US federal holiday

October 16 - World Food Day

October 21 - Apple Day

October 24 – United Nations Day

October 31 - Halloween

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