Fun facts about October….

October lies between September and November. It’s a month filled with quickly falling leaves, Halloween celebrations, and fun fall facts worth knowing about. Follow along as we explore some of our favorite moments in October’s history.

Fact 1:

The meaning behind October’s name is far from accurate these days. The ancient Roman calendar was based on the lunar cycles, as opposed to our current calendar which is based on the solar cycles. This meant that there were originally 10 months in their calendar, and October was the eighth month. Its name literally translated into “the eighth month” in Latin. In 451 BC the two months of Ianurarius and Februarius were added to the beginning of the calendar, making October the 10th month.

Fact 2:

October is a rather beautiful time of year if you live in the northern hemisphere. It’s the time of year that the colour of leaves begins to change into a magnificent array of hues.

Fact 3:

In October 1974 the very first McDonald’s in the UK opened its doors in London, and is still operating today!

Fact 4:

The Twyford church in Hampshire, UK has a tradition of ringing its bells every year on October 7th. The origin of this tradition goes back to the 18th Century when a local resident called William David became lost in heavy fog while riding home at night. Much to his luck, he heard the church bells toll and from this, he managed to find his way home. As a form of thanks, he left some money to the church when he died so that the church could continue to ring their bells on October 7th every year, just in case there were any other lost travelers.

Fact 5:

The world-famous Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869. His worldwide renown is attributed to the nonviolent way in which he resisted the colonial British rule of India.

Fact 6:

On October 1, 1949, the People’s Republic of China was founded. Mao Zedong ruled the republic from its founding until his death in 1976.

Other famous people born in October were;

Christopher Columbus: October 31st, 145
John Adams: October 30, 1735
Theodore Roosevelt: October 27, 1858
Dwight D. Eisenhower: October 14, 1890

Fact 7:

The Statue of Liberty was formaly dedicated by President Grover Cleveland on October 28th, 1886. This was after it arrived in New York Harbor on June 17th, 1885. Thereafter, President Calvin Coolidge declared the Statue of Liberty a national monument on October 15th, 1924.

Fact 8: