February 18
February 18
Pluto discovered
Pluto, once believed to be the ninth planet, is discovered at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, by astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh. The existence of an unknown ninth planet was…
A Year In History: 1930
This Year in History:
1930
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
March 12
March 12
Mohandas Gandhi begins 241‑mile civil disobedience march
On March 12, 1930, Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi begins a defiant march to the sea in protest of the British monopoly on salt, his boldest act of civil disobedience…
April 21
April 21
Prisoners left to burn in Ohio fire
A fire at an Ohio prison kills 320 inmates, some of whom burn to death when they are not unlocked from their cells. It is one of the worst prison…
May 31
May 31
Actor and director Clint Eastwood is born
Best known to his many fans for one of his most memorable screen incarnations—San Francisco Police Inspector “Dirty” Harry Callahan—the actor and Oscar‑winning filmmaker Clint Eastwood is born on May…
July 7
July 7
Preliminary work begins on the Hoover Dam
On July 7, 1930, building begins on the future site of the Hoover Dam. Over the next five years, a total of 21,000 men would work ceaselessly to produce what…
July 13
July 13
First World Cup tournament begins
On July 13, 1930, France defeats Mexico 4‑1 and the United States defeats Belgium 3‑0 in the first‑ever World Cup football matches, played simultaneously in host city Montevideo, Uruguay. The…
August 6
August 6
Judge Joseph Force Crater becomes the “missingest man” in New York
On August 6, 1930, New York Supreme Court judge Joseph Force Crater vanished on the streets of Manhattan near Times Square. The dapper 41‑year‑old’s disappearance launched a massive investigation that captivated…
October 5
October 5
Airship crashes in France
On October 5, 1930, a British dirigible crashes in Beauvais, France, killing all but seven people onboard. The airship, which was Great Britain’s biggest, had first been launched about a…
