The beginning of fall, the excitement for Halloween, and all things pumpkin spice make October awesome. But do you know what else makes October special? It’s the month where some rather exciting events happened in world history!

Ford Model T: October 1st, 1908

Named the most influential car of the twentieth century, the Ford Model T made car ownership affordable and was one of the first cars to move from handcrafted assembly to production using machinery. The car had many nicknames, fondly used by its fans, including “Tin Lizzie” and “Jitney.”

Redwood National Park Established: October 2nd, 1968

It’s not easy establishing a national park for the tallest trees in the world. Especially not when there are tree loggers (or those who cut down trees to sell the wood) pushing back! By the 1960s, logging took away almost 90 percent of the original Redwood trees in California. The park was established in 1968 and helped preserve the Redwoods.

Thanksgiving Declaration: October 3rd, 1863

Abraham Lincoln gave a speech on October 3rd, 1863, sharing his gratitude to the Union Army, who won at Gettysburg. The chosen day was the fourth Thursday of every November! It wasn’t until 1941 that the Thanksgiving holiday took on a “shopping” tradition to boost the American economy.

Sputnik I: October 4th, 1957

The first satellite launched into orbit on this day from The Soviet Union. It was named Sputnik I, weighed 184 pounds, and beeped a radio signal for twenty-one days. The Russian word “sputnik” means a traveling companion!

The Subway Is Here! October 27th, 1904

The 9.1-mile-long subway in New York opened on this day and had twenty-eight stations on its line. Today, on a regular weekday, the subway transports around five million riders!