First day of conversion to Gregorian calendar from Julian for several countries (Poland, Spain, Italy, Portugal), due to Pope Gregory XIIIβs decree. Great Britain and colonies did not convert until 1752β
First U.S. Agriculture Bureau scientific publication issuedβ
Edison Electric Light Company establishedβ
American Angler, the first fishing magazine in the U.S., was published in Philadelphia, PAβ
Symphony Hall in Boston was inaugurated as the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestraβ
Mata Hari, one of history’s most famous spies, was executedβ
Statue of Liberty designated as a National Monumentβ
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a bill creating the Department of Transportationβ
An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale shook southern Californiaβ
Veterans Memorial Bridge opened, Port Arthur-Bridge City, Texasβ
Andy Green became the first person to break the sound barrier in a land-based vehicle, at 763.035 mphβ
In New York, the Staten Island ferry plowed into a pier killing 10 people and injuring 42 moreβ
China launched its first manned space mission becoming the third country in history to send a person into orbit β four decades after the Soviet Union and the United Statesβ
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake occurred near Kailua-Kona on the west coast of the Big Island of Hawaiiβ
Weather
Hurricane Hazel hit the Carolinasβ
Hurricane Hazel struck southern Ontarioβ
Hazel II storm flooded Torontoβ
15.88 inches of rain fell in Ft. Lauderdale, Floridaβ