October 18

Today in History
• 1356 - Basel earthquake, the most significant historic seismological event north of the Alps
• 1648 - 1st labor organization forms in North American colonies (Boston Shoemakers)
• 1767 - Boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania, the Mason–Dixon line is agreed upon
• 1776 - In a New York bar decorated with bird tail, customer orders "cock tail"
• 1867 - U.S. takes formal possession of Alaska from Russia
• 1878 - Edison makes electricity available for household usage
• 1892 - 1st commercial long-distance phone line opens (Chicago-NY)
• 1922 - British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) forms
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Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Day of Unity
• Health Care Aide Day
• Kati Bihu
• National Alaska Day
• National Chocolate Cupcake Day
• National No Beard Day
• National Prayer Day
• National Sunday Day

Birthdays
• 1127 - Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan
• 1239 - Stefanus V, prince of Transylvania/king of Hungary (1270-72)
• 1405 - Pius II, Aenea S Piccolomini, Italian pope, 1458-64
• 1595 - Edward Winslow, Plymouth Colony founder
• 1668 - Johan Georg IV, elector of Saxony, 1691-94
• 1712 - Jeremias van Riemsdijk, Governor-General of Dutch Indies, 1775-77
• 1804 - Rama IV, Phra Chomklao Chaoyuhua, king of Thailand, 1851-68
• 1831 - Frederick III, German Emperor (1888)