The first week of October has come and gone, and with it fades the final days of this year’s Oktoberfest celebrations. Celebrated annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany since 1810, Oktoberfest has since spread to various cities across the world for obvious reasons. A two week-long party (or longer) complete with music, festivities, traditional foods, and beer? That’s a recipe for a good time wherever you are.

So how did it all start?

Yep—you’ve got to admire a wedding reception that’s so good it’s re-celebrated every year.

Happy October!

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Today in 1814, Francis Scott Key memorializes the experience of watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British forces during the War of 1812.

The sight of the lone United States flag still waving over the fort the following morning inspired Key, who later wrote theses lines which, paired with song, eventually became the U.S. national anthem.

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On September 11, 2001, 2,997 people were killed and thousands more injured in a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks that at once shocked and unified the United States and the world.

On September 11, 2002, the first official Patriot Day was celebrated in the U.S. to remember those who perished in the attacks.

On September 11, 2009, the first official National Day of Service and Remembrance was observed to encourage the nation to volunteer and unite together. It has since become the largest day of charitable service in the U.S. anually.

Find more on the observance of this national day of service with a search on Newspapers.com, and be sure to keep a look out for volunteer opportunities near you!

On this day in 1985, the famous and much sought out wreck of the RMS Titanic was found miles beneath the ocean’s surface, 73 years after its sinking. The expedition, headed by Dr. Robert Ballard, used experimental technology in the form of an unmanned submersible that scanned the ocean floor until it passed over the Titanic’s boilers, and the rest is history.

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A look back at The Wizard of Oz, released in theaters on this day in 1939:

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Solar eclipses are remarkable natural phenomenons that reliably send humanity’s gaze skyward. The upcoming solar eclipse is particularly exciting, with the phrase “100 years” getting thrown around a lot. It’s not because this is the first solar eclipse to happen in 100 years—far from it. But it is the first solar eclipse in nearly 100 years to cross over the width of the United States, making it possible for millions to witness totality from within the arching pathway. The last time that happened, it was June 1918.

Traveling to the path of totality was just as expected then as it is now—and automobiles have definitely been in use for a while these days.

With any luck, good weather will allow clear observation of this century’s sequel to 1918’s eclipse, with all its similarities and differences.

Safe travels to those making their way to the path of totality! Find more on the 1918 eclipse and reactions to it with a search on Newspapers.com.

Ah, romance. Methods of flirting sure have changed over the years, haven’t they? With the introduction of the internet, dating has become so impersonal, so informal. Just a glance at a face and a flick of the finger. So different from the way it used to be.

But perhaps not so different as it seems.

A mention of the 1920s brings with it visions of sparkling flapper dresses, ornate decor, city living, and some sweet jazzy tunes to dance to. Dating apps were a feature of the distant future, but in 1920s Berlin, the concept of dating from a distance was alive and well in the form of telephones and pneumatic tubes.

Two nightclubs in particular provided these handy services: The Resi and the Femina.

For the bold, there were the telephones—simply dial up the lady or lad who catches your eye and ask them to dance. For those more timid attendees, there were the tubes. Pencil down a message of admiration or wrap up a little gift, send it rocketing through the conveniently located tube to the table of your choice, and wait to see if they receive it well.

Sounds pretty familiar after all, doesn’t it?

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On this day in history, the discovery of Marilyn Monroe’s unexpected death spread across headlines.

Though speculations and theories about her death spread like wildfire, the official cause of death was reported as a self-administered overdose of sedative drugs.

But before this sobering end of life there was a glittering and memorable career that—whether you care for her acting or not—turned Norma Jeane Mortenson (Baker) into a cultural icon whose memory and influence has yet to fade even 55 years later.

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100 years later and some things never change…even if everything changes around you.

From The Chatham Press, Chatham, New Jersey, July 1918:

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