On This Day in History – October 26

Major Events

• 1861 – The Pony Express officially ended after 18 months.
• 1881 – The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral took place in Tombstone, Arizona.
• 1905 – Norway gained independence from Sweden.
• 1944 – The Battle of Leyte Gulf ended with Allied victory.
• 1955 – Austria regained independence as Allied troops withdrew.
• 1979 – South Korea’s President Park Chung-hee was assassinated.

Famous Birthdays

• Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757) – Italian composer.
• Mahalia Jackson (1911–1972) – American gospel singer.
• François Mitterrand (1916–1996) – President of France.
• Hillary Clinton (born 1947) – American politician and former First Lady.
• Jaclyn Smith (born 1945) – American actress.
• Keith Urban (born 1967) – New Zealand-born country singer.
• Seth MacFarlane (born 1973) – American animator and actor.

Notable Deaths

• Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815–1902) – American suffragist.
• Park Chung-hee (1917–1979) – South Korean president.
• H. R. Haldeman (1926–1993) – White House Chief of Staff under Nixon.

Holidays

• National Day (Austria)
• Intersex Awareness Day (International)

Fun Facts

• The O.K. Corral shootout lasted only 30 seconds but became legendary.
• The Pony Express was replaced by the telegraph.
• Hillary Clinton shares her birthday with Keith Urban.