January 19
January 19
Fog leads to deadly collision in North Sea
Heavy fog in the North Sea causes the collision of two steamers and the death of 357 people on this day in 1883. The Cimbria was a 330‑foot, 3,000‑ton steamship…
A Year In History: 1883
This Year in History:
1883
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
February 5
February 5
Southern Pacific Railroad completes New Orleans to California route
The Southern Pacific Railroad completes its transcontinental “Sunset Route” from New Orleans to California, consolidating its dominance over rail traffic to the Pacific. One of the most powerful railroad companies…
May 24
May 24
This Day in History Video: What Happened on May 24
In this This Day in History video, take a look at May 24, the day in 1883 when the first American railroad service was put in place, in 1846 the…
May 24
May 24
Brooklyn Bridge opens
After 14 years, the Brooklyn Bridge over the East River opens in 1883, connecting the great cities of New York and Brooklyn for the first time in history. Thousands of…
August 21
August 21
Trial of Frank James begins in Missouri
The trial of Frank James begins in Gallatin, Missouri. It was held in the city opera house in order to accommodate the crowds of spectators. After having robbed dozens of…
August 27
August 27
Krakatoa explodes with massive force
One of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in recorded history occurs on Krakatoa (also called Krakatau), a small, uninhabited volcanic island east of Sumatra and west of Java, on August 27, 1883. Heard…
August 27
August 27
Krakatoa erupts
The volcanic island of Krakatoa near Indonesia erupts on this day in 1883, killing thousands in one of the worst geologic disasters of modern times. The beginning of the amazing…
November 3
November 3
Black Bart makes his last stagecoach robbery
Authorities almost catch the California bandit and infamous stagecoach robber called Black Bart; he manages to make a quick getaway, but drops an incriminating clue that eventually sends him to…
November 18
November 18
Railroads create the first time zones
At exactly noon on this day, American and Canadian railroads begin using four continental time zones to end the confusion of dealing with thousands of local times. The bold move…
