See the archive of MySaline’s Daily History issues at www.mysaline.com/history.
Saline County, Arkansas
2014 – The historic Dr. T. E. Buffington House at 312 West South Street in Benton was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 2014. The English Revival-style home was built around 1928 for Dr. Turner Ellis Buffington, a Saline County native who practiced medicine in Benton and elsewhere in the county and also served as Benton’s mayor. – Read more at this link
1937 – Camp Halsey in Faulkner County reopened on October 1, 1937, as a Civilian Conservation Corps forestry camp. The camp eventually closed, and its enrollees were transferred to Camp Paron in Saline County, connecting the Depression-era CCC program directly to local history. – Read more at this link
See below for history from Arkansas, United States and the World.
Arkansas
1919 – October 1 was a crucial day in the Elaine Massacre. After violence erupted the previous night at a meeting of Black sharecroppers near Hoop Spur in Phillips County, hundreds of armed white men were roaming the area and killing Black residents. Phillips County officials sent telegrams to Governor Charles Brough requesting federal troops. Brough began the process of obtaining authorization to send soldiers from Camp Pike near Little Rock. The violence continued into October 2, when more than 500 federal troops arrived. – Read more at this link
1800 – The Treaty of San Ildefonso was secretly signed on October 1, 1800, under which Spain agreed to return the Louisiana Territory to France. The territory included the land that would eventually become Arkansas. Three years later, the United States purchased Louisiana from France in the Louisiana Purchase. – Read more at this link
1937 – The Civilian Conservation Corps camp at Halsey reopened on October 1, 1937, with Company 4748 assigned to forestry work. The camp’s later connection to Camp Paron in Saline County makes this an interesting piece of Arkansas’s Depression-era conservation history. – Read more at this link
United States
1903 – The first modern World Series began on October 1, 1903, when the Boston Americans played the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 1. Pittsburgh won the opening game 7–3, but Boston ultimately won the best-of-nine series five games to three. – Read more at this link
1890 – President Benjamin Harrison signed legislation on October 1, 1890, creating Yosemite National Park. The new park protected more than 1,500 square miles and included Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows and other spectacular areas of the Sierra Nevada. – Read more at this link
1958 – NASA officially began operations on October 1, 1958. Created in response to the early Soviet successes in space, the new agency absorbed the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and began organizing America’s civilian space program. – Read more at this link
1961 – New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris hit his 61st home run of the 1961 season on October 1, breaking Babe Ruth’s famous record of 60 home runs set in 1927. Maris’s record remained the American League single-season home run record until 1998. – Read more at this link
1971 – Walt Disney World officially opened near Orlando, Florida, on October 1, 1971. The original resort included the Magic Kingdom, two hotels, a campground, shopping and other attractions, beginning what would become one of the world’s largest vacation destinations. – Read more at this link
World
1946 – The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg concluded its trial of major Nazi war criminals on October 1, 1946. The proceedings established important precedents in international criminal law concerning individual responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. – Read more at this link
1949 – Mao Zedong publicly proclaimed the establishment of the People’s Republic of China from Tiananmen Gate in Beijing on October 1, 1949. The declaration followed years of civil war between Communist forces and the Nationalist government. – Read more at this link
1960 – Nigeria became independent from Britain on October 1, 1960. The new country remained within the Commonwealth and adopted a parliamentary system, with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as prime minister. – Read more at this link
1961 – Cameroon was reunified on October 1, 1961, when the formerly British Southern Cameroons joined the formerly French-administered Cameroun to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The date remains an important milestone in Cameroon’s history. – Read more at this link
1957 – The drug thalidomide was introduced in several countries in 1957 as a sedative and treatment for morning sickness. It was later found to cause severe birth defects when taken during pregnancy, leading to major changes in drug-safety regulation around the world. – Read more at this link
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