A Brief History This article presents a chronological list of notable events that happened on October 11th.  For each date below, please click on the date to be taken to an article covering that date’s event. Digging Deeper On October 11, 1138, the city that would one day become the most populous city in modern Syria, Aleppo, was hit with a catastrophic earthquake. On October 11, 1779, Polish cavalry officer and American Brigadier General, Casimir Pulaski, died of wounds incurred during the Battle of Savannah (Georgia) during the American Revolutionary War. On October 11, 1883, the heads of the major…

A Brief History On October 11, 2001, Polaroid Corporation filed for bankruptcy and a year later went out of business.  Polaroid brought us instant print photos and became a part of American culture when First Daughter Jenna Bush said her parents would “Shake it like a Polaroid picture!” referencing an Outkast song. Digging Deeper Other iconic American companies and brands have also become extinct, and we list a few of the most notable ones. Airlines, such as Braniff, Eastern, Frontier, Northwest Orient, Pan Am, and TWA, among others. Auto brands AMC, Checker, Mercury, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Plymouth, Saturn, and Studebaker, among…

A Brief History This article presents a chronological list of notable events that happened on October 10th.  For each date below, please click on the date to be taken to an article covering that date’s event. Digging Deeper On October 10, 1492, the famous first voyage of Christopher Columbus and his small fleet of three ships almost came to an end right at the point of “discovering” the New World. On either October 10th or November 10th, 1580, after a three-day siege, a papal army surrendered to the English in Ireland, only to be massacred. Thomas “Tom” S. Newman (October 10,…

A Brief History On October 10, 1492, the famous first voyage of Christopher Columbus and his small fleet of three ships almost came to an end right at the point of “discovering” the New World. Digging Deeper Columbus had set sail on August 3, 1492, expecting to sail to the Far East.  He estimated the voyage to be about 2,700 miles and to take two months.  By the time his voyage had passed the two month mark, his crew became restless and desperate to return home.  Columbus faced down a mutiny on his flagship, the Santa Maria, that would probably…

A Brief History This article presents a chronological list of notable events that happened on October 9th.  For each date below, please click on the date to be taken to an article covering that date’s event. Digging Deeper On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus, the Italian adventurer sailing into the unknown in the name of the Spanish Crown, landed in the Bahamas, the landing that became known as the “discovery” of America (or, “The New World” if you prefer). On October 9, 1701, the town of Saybrook, Connecticut was the setting for the founding of The Collegiate School of Connecticut,…