October 16 in History: Disney Begins, Gordie Howe Debuts & the Cuban Missile Crisis Starts

Discover what happened on October 16 in history as entertainment empires began, sports legends launched remarkable careers, international crises brought the world to the brink, and historic events helped shape the world we know today.

What Happened on October 16 in History?

On this day, John Brown launched his raid on Harpers Ferry, the Walt Disney Company began, Gordie Howe scored in his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings, and President Kennedy learned of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba.

OCTOBER 16 – TODAY IN HISTORY:

1829 – Boston’s Tremont House opened, introducing innovations that helped establish the model for the modern American hotel, including indoor plumbing, private guest rooms with locks, free soap and uniformed staff.

1859 – Abolitionist John Brown and his followers began their raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, VA, hoping to seize weapons and spark an uprising against slavery. The failed raid further inflamed tensions between North and South less than two years before the Civil War.

1923 – Walt Disney signed a contract with distributor Margaret Winkler for a series of animated shorts known as the Alice Comedies. Walt and his brother Roy established the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, marking the official beginning of what became The Walt Disney Company.

1928 – General Electric engineer Marvin Pipkin received a patent for an improved internally frosted light bulb that diffused light without significantly weakening the glass.

1943 – Chicago’s first subway officially opened beneath State Street, moving portions of the city’s rapid-transit system underground through the heart of downtown.

1946 – Eighteen-year-old Gordie Howe made his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings at Olympia Stadium, scoring his first NHL goal in a 3-3 tie against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Wearing No. 17 in his rookie season, the future “Mr. Hockey” also got into two fights in his first NHL game.

1955 – Esther “Eppie” Lederer took over the popular “Ann Landers” newspaper advice column following the death of its original writer, Ruth Crowley. Lederer would write the nationally syndicated column for nearly 47 years.

1962 – President John F. Kennedy was informed that American reconnaissance photographs showed Soviet nuclear missile sites under construction in Cuba. Kennedy secretly assembled a group of advisers to determine how to respond, beginning the 13 tense days known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

1964 – China successfully detonated its first atomic bomb at the Lop Nur test site, becoming the world’s fifth nation to develop and test a nuclear weapon.

1978 – Polish Cardinal Karol Józef Wojtyła was elected pope and took the name John Paul II. He became the first non-Italian pope in 455 years and would lead the Catholic Church for more than 26 years.

1987 – Eighteen-month-old Jessica McClure was rescued from an abandoned well in Midland, TX, after being trapped underground for 58 hours. The dramatic rescue of “Baby Jessica” had captivated television audiences around the world.

1995 – The Million Man March brought a massive gathering of Black men to the National Mall in Washington, DC, for a day focused on unity, responsibility and community involvement.

2000 – Chevron announced an agreement to acquire Texaco in a deal valued at roughly $35 billion, creating one of the world’s largest oil companies.

2002 – Accounting firm Arthur Andersen was sentenced to five years of probation and fined $500,000 following its conviction for obstructing the federal investigation into the collapse of Enron.

2008 – Apple announced that more than 200 million television episodes had been sold through the iTunes Store as all four major U.S. broadcast networks began offering prime-time programming in high definition.

2009 – The feature-film adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, directed by Spike Jonze, opened in U.S. theaters.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON OCTOBER 16:

Barry Corbin – 86 years old (1940) – Actor and producer

Mel Counts – 85 years old (1941) – Basketball player

Elizabeth Loftus – 82 years old (1944) – Psychologist

David Zucker – 79 years old (1947) – Director, producer, and screenwriter

Leo Mazzone – 78 years old (1948) – Baseball player and coach

Christopher Cox – 74 years old (1952) – Lawyer and politician

Tony Carey – 73 years old (1953) – Keyboard player, songwriter, and producer

Lorenzo Carcaterra – 72 years old (1954) – Author and blogger

Ellen Dolan – 71 years old (1955) – Actress

Marin Alsop – 70 years old (1956) – Violinist and conductor

John Chavis – 70 years old (1956) – Football player and coach

Meg Rosoff – 70 years old (1956) – American-English author

Tim Robbins – 68 years old (1958) – Actor, director, and screenwriter

Brian Harper – 67 years old (1959) – Baseball player

Bob Mould – 66 years old (1960) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

Randy Vasquez – 65 years old (1961) – Actor, director, and producer

Flea – 64 years old (1962) – Australian-American bass player, songwriter, and actor

Tamara McKinney – 64 years old (1962) – Skier

Tom Tolbert – 61 years old (1965) – Basketball player and sportscaster

Mary Elizabeth McGlynn – 60 years old (1966) – Voice actress, singer, and director

Randall Batinkoff – 58 years old (1968) – Actor and producer

Todd Stashwick – 58 years old (1968) – Actor and writer

Terri J. Vaughn – 57 years old (1969) – Actress and producer

Wendy Wilson – 57 years old (1969) – Singer-songwriter

Chad Gray – 55 years old (1971) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Paul Sparks – 55 years old (1971) – Actor

Adrianne Frost – 54 years old (1972) – Comedian, actress, and author

Darius Kasparaitis – 54 years old (1972) – Lithuanian-American ice hockey player and coach

Kordell Stewart – 54 years old (1972) – Football player and radio host

Justin Credible – 53 years old (1973) – Wrestler

Kellie Martin – 51 years old (1975) – Actress, director, and producer

John Mayer – 49 years old (1977) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

Sue Bird – 46 years old (1980) – Israeli-American basketball player

Jeremy Jackson – 46 years old (1980) – Actor and singer

Caterina Scorsone – 46 years old (1980) – Canadian-American actress

Brea Grant – 45 years old (1981) – Actress and writer

Boyd Melson – 45 years old (1981) – Boxer

Anthony Reyes – 45 years old (1981) – Baseball player

Alan Anderson – 44 years old (1982) – Basketball player

Rachel Reilly – 42 years old (1984) – Talk show host and actress

Alexis Hornbuckle – 41 years old (1985) – Basketball player

Bryce Harper – 34 years old (1992) – Baseball player

Aaron Nesmith – 27 years old (1999) – Basketball player

Ruby Rose Turner – 21 years old (2005) – Actress

DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR OCTOBER 16:

• World Food Day: Join a World Food Day event like a contest, or donate your time or money to food charities that provide food to those in need.
• Global Cat Day: Cats seem to rule our lives on a daily basis, and we love them for it. Global Cat Day is all about embracing these mischievous, yet adorable fur-babies.
• National Boss’ Day: Being the boss comes with its own set of problems and obstacles. Give your boss a thank-you card, gift, or just stop in to thank them for their hard work.
• National Mammography Day: As part of the larger observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this event is specifically set aside to act as a reminder for women age 40, or those who have certain risk factors, to talk to their doctors about scheduling a mammogram. Because most incidences of breast cancer happen as women...
• National Liqueur Day: A unique category in the world of alcoholic beverages, liqueur is a distilled spirit. Though the name is similar (and it is sometimes even made from liquor), liqueur is different from liquor in that it is sweeter. Liqueurs are mainly used as a flavoring agent in mixed drinks and they...
• National Dictionary Day: Challenge and broaden your vocabulary on World Dictionary Day. If you don’t own one already, purchase a dictionary and learn some new words to describe the world.
• National Feral Cat Day: Volunteer or donate to an organization helps feral cats, keeping them from dangers such as euthanasia programs, predators, and overpopulation.
• World Spine Day: An estimated one billion people in the world suffer from spinal pain, and the spine is the largest single cause of disability on the planet. World Spine Day seeks to promote effective prevention and management of the spine, encouraging people to be kind to their spines! How to Celebrate World Spine...
• Dysautonomia Awareness Month: Join or host a fundraising event, do your research, and help raise awareness about dysautonomia, a class of diseases affected the autonomic nervous system.
• Steve Jobs Day: Steve Jobs revolutionized the modern world with Apple products. Take some time to consider the impact this singular company has had on the world we know.
• World Anesthesia Day: World Anesthesia Day highlights a major step in medical care—the use of anesthesia to block pain during surgery. It changed how doctors operate and how patients recover. Surgery became safer. People stopped fearing the pain more than the procedure. The day reminds us that anesthesia is not just helpful—it’s essential. It...
• Durga Puja: Durga Puja is a vibrant festival that honors the goddess Durga and celebrates her triumph over evil. Communities come together in a joyful spirit, decorating elaborate idols and pandals—temporary structures full of intricate artwork and colorful displays. Music, dance, and rituals fill the air, creating an energetic atmosphere. People visit...
• National Veterans BBQ Day: National Veterans BBQ Day brings people together with something simple—grilled food and shared gratitude. It’s not just a barbecue; it’s a heartfelt thank-you to those who’ve served. Families, neighbors, and communities gather outdoors, fire up the grill, and connect over smoky flavors and kind words. You can almost hear the laughter...
• International Pronouns Day: International Pronouns Day is about how we use words like “she,” “he,” or “they” when talking about each other. It brings attention to the simple idea that using the right pronouns helps people feel respected. When someone shares their pronouns, they’re letting others know who they are. And when we listen...
• Department Store Day: Stop by your local department store to take advantage of their all-in-one-place shopping. From clothes to kitchenware, you’re sure to find what you need.
• Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day: Help give children with language disorders a voice, by supporting organizations and raising awareness about Developmental Language Disorders and their effects.
• World Allergy Awareness Day: World Allergy Awareness Day raises attention to the challenges faced by people with allergies. It shows how common these conditions are and how they can affect daily life. Many people don’t realize that allergens come in many forms—foods, pollens, insect stings, even medicines. This day urges everyone to learn how to...
• UK Coffee Week: UK Coffee Week is a lively celebration of the UK's coffee culture. For one week, coffee lovers, shops, and roasters unite to enjoy their favorite brews while supporting a great cause. The event is filled with various activities and events, all aimed at bringing people together over their shared love...
• National School Lunch Week: Fueling minds, nourishing potential—school lunches aren't just meals; they're key ingredients for young aspirations to thrive.
• Rtveli: Rtveli is a vibrant grape harvest festival celebrated across Georgia. It is a joyful blend of hard work and celebration. It's a time when people unite to collect the fruits of their labor and honor the cultural heritage of winemaking that has been cherished for generations. The festival extends beyond...
• Drink Local Wine Week: Drink Local Wine Week gives small wineries a chance to be noticed. It’s when bloggers and wine writers focus on bottles made nearby. Instead of just talking about famous spots like Napa or Willamette, this week shifts attention to local vineyards. People get to read about wines made just down the...

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