Posted by Paul Callighan on Oct 31, 2025
October 26, 1825 – The Erie Canal opens and becomes the first major man-made waterway in America.  It links Lake Erie with the Hudson River and takes eight years to complete.
 
October 27, 1904 – The New York City subway begins operating.  It is the first underground and underwater rail system in the world.
 
October 29, 1886 – The Statue of Liberty is dedicated in New York Harbor.  It is a gift from the people of France commemorating the French-American alliance during the American Revolutionary War. 
 
November 1, 1776 – Mission San Juan Capistrano is founded in California becoming the historic place where swallows return each March.