October 1st: Celebrate Fall with Pumpkin Spice and Remember Johnny Carson's Debut on the Tonight Show
Fall is here! Leaves are turning (or will be soon in Virginia!) and the weather is just a bit crisper. I wrote about Q4 in this post on my Free At 50 blog. It's from the perspective of an entrepreneur, sharing ideas to end the year strong and, of course, encouraging working with your favorite version of pumpkin spice in hand.
I was inspired to search out what year October 1st became our National Pumpkin Spice Day and what else happened in American history on October 1st!
Because - why not?
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Fall gourd growing in Colonial Williamsburg's garden.
Historical summary of October 1st- you know the drill, a quick list with links!
1608- Captain Christopher Newport arrives in Virginia for the 2nd time! We even have a city named for him here in the Hampton Roads region: Newport News, where I got to visit this historical home.
1890- Yosemite National Park was created by an Act of Congress and signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison. (I wrote about the Harrisons' Berkeley here!)
1908- Ford unveiled the Model T, an epic moment in automotive history, making owning a car more accessible.
1924- President Jimmy Carter was born. He shares his birthday with aviation pioneer William Boeing (1881) and The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis (1969)
1962- The legendary Johnny Carson debuted as host of The Tonight Show. That lasted 30 years, until his farewell performance in 1992. I still remember the big debate/fight - who was taking over: Leno or Letterman?
1971- Orlando's Walt Disney World opened to the public. Read more on the history of it's opening here. A whole new tradition started with the addition of Disney World to families' vacation-plan-bucket-lists.
2017- A gunman creates terror in the eyes of all Americans, shooting down into a festival crowd in Las Vegas. It became the deadliest mass shooting in the United States to date.
RELATED: To read more about Christopher Newport and the early settlements here in Virginia, I recommend Love and Hate in Jamestown.
The reconstructed fence of the fort at Jamestown Island
My closing statement: Dig deeper!
Click the links above to get more information on any of the events I listed and share your October 1st "historic" events in the comments!
The closing words today, an excerpt from John Adams autobiography (read the full excerpt and the letter to Mr. Tudor, with citations, here).
In this note, he comments on making the motion to appoint a committee with the goal of establishing a military academy of the Army...
[Tuesday October 1. 1776.]
[from the Autobiography of John Adams]
[Tuesday October 1. 1776.]
Tuesday October 1. 1776.
Resolved that a Committee of four be appointed to confer with Brigadier General Mifflin. The Members chosen, Mr. R. H. Lee, Mr. Sherman, Mr. J. Adams and Mr. Gerry.1
Resolved that a Committee of five be appointed to prepare and bring in a Plan of a military Accademy at the Army: The Members chosen Mr. Hooper, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Wythe, Mr. Williams and Mr. J. Adams.2
On this same day, I wrote to Colonel Knox in these Words. “This day I had the honour of making a motion for the Appointment of a Committee to consider of a Plan for the Establishment of a military Accademy, in the Army. The Committee was appointed and your Servant was one. Write me your Sentiments upon the Subject.”3
As this was, in my Opinion the most critical and dangerous Period of the whole revolutionary War, as all that I had seen and heard and read of the State of our Army made a great impression [upon] my Mind, and arroused the most allarming Apprehension, I will conceal nothing from Posterity. My own private Letters, to confidential Friends, will shew my Opinion at the time of the State of facts, and the measures that were necessary, to retrieve our disgraces. Like Mr. Gifford, I look back, with a sort of Scepticism, on the Application of those days and cannot account for the possibility of finding time amidst all my Employments in Congress and the Board of War, to write and copy the Letters I find in my Books.4 I had no Secretary or Clerk and all appears in my hand Writing. I wrote to Colonel Tudor
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Closer view of the fence at Jamestown Island.
There is a huge practical disclaimer to the content on this blog, which is my way of sharing my excitement and basically journaling online.
1) I am not a historian nor an expert. I will let you know I’m relaying the information as I understand and interpret it. The employees of Colonial Williamsburg base their presentations, work, and responses on historical documents and mainly primary sources.
2) I will update for accuracy as history is constant learning. If you have a question about accuracy, please ask me! I will get the answer from the best source I can find.
3) Photo credit to me, Daphne Reznik, for all photos in this post, unless otherwise credited! All photos are personal photos taken in public access locations or with specific permission.
