Year

1889

7 sourced events from this year.

Events

1889 Timeline

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1889

Culture 19th Century Europe

Eiffel Tower Officially Opens in Paris

The 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris celebrated the centennial of the French Revolution and showcased industrial achievements. Engineer Gustave Eiffel designed a 300-meter wrought-iron lattice tower as the fair's centerpiece, despite initial public skepticism about its aesthetics and safety. Construction began in 1887 and faced engineering challenges including wind resistance and precise assembly of prefabricated parts. On March 31, 1889, Eiffel personally raised the French tricolor from the summit during the official inauguration ceremony attended by French officials and dignitaries. The tower immediately became the world's tallest structure and a symbol of modern engineering prowess.

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1889

Economics 19th Century North America

Oklahoma Land Rush Begins at High Noon

Following the Indian Removal Act and subsequent treaties that relocated Native American tribes to Indian Territory, the U.S. government designated certain unassigned lands for settlement. President Benjamin Harrison's proclamation opened nearly two million acres of former Creek and Seminole lands in what became Oklahoma. On April 22, 1889, at noon, a cannon signaled the start, drawing an estimated 50,000 settlers who raced on foot, horseback, and in wagons to claim 160-acre homesteads or town lots. Chaos ensued as "boomers" and illegal "sooners" competed fiercely, leading to instant towns like Guthrie and Oklahoma City emerging by nightfall. The event followed the Homestead Act's principles of encouraging westward agricultural development amid post-Civil War expansion pressures.

Event Detail America 250 Atlas

1889

Disaster 19th Century North America

Johnstown Flood Devastates Pennsylvania Valley

In the late 19th century, the South Fork Dam above Johnstown, Pennsylvania, had been sold to a private fishing club and received inadequate maintenance despite its history of leaks. Heavy rains throughout May 1889 swelled rivers and strained the structure. On May 31 the dam gave way, releasing a wall of water up to 60 feet high that raced 14 miles downstream. The torrent smashed through the industrial town of Johnstown, sweeping away homes, factories, and bridges in minutes. More than 2,200 people perished, making it one of the deadliest floods in U.S. history at the time. Rescue and recovery efforts stretched for weeks amid widespread destruction of property valued in the tens of millions of dollars.

Event Detail Disaster Kit Pro

1889

Economics 19th Century North America

Wall Street Journal Publishes First Edition

During the late 19th century, New York’s financial district expanded rapidly amid industrialization and railroad growth, yet investors lacked a dedicated, reliable source of daily market information. Charles Dow, Edward Jones, and Charles Bergstresser, already experienced publishers of a financial newsletter, decided to launch a full newspaper. The inaugural issue of The Wall Street Journal appeared on July 8, 1889, featuring stock tables, corporate news, and editorial commentary aimed at brokers and businessmen. Printed on a modest scale at first, the paper quickly established itself as the authoritative voice of American finance.

Event Detail Free Speech Atlas

1889

Technology 19th Century North America

Edison Demonstrates Early Motion Picture

In the late 19th century, inventors sought ways to capture and display moving images to complement the phonograph's success with sound. Thomas Edison's laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey, under assistant William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, developed the Kinetograph camera and experimented with flexible celluloid film. On October 6, 1889, Edison viewed the first test footage known as Monkeyshines No. 1, showing lab workers gesturing before the camera in a brief sequence. This marked one of the earliest successful recordings of motion on photographic film in the United States. The demonstration confirmed the viability of strip film for sequential images viewed rapidly to create the illusion of movement.

Event Detail America 250 Atlas

1889

Politics 19th Century North America

Washington Becomes 42nd U.S. State

Following years of territorial growth fueled by railroads, logging, and settlement, Washington Territory prepared for statehood under an enabling act passed by Congress earlier in 1889. Voters ratified a state constitution in the summer, and President Benjamin Harrison reviewed the documents. On November 11, 1889, Harrison issued a proclamation formally admitting Washington as the 42nd state. The new state joined others admitted that year from the former Dakota, Montana, and Washington territories, completing a wave of Western expansion. Its admission reflected the rapid population increase and economic development in the Pacific Northwest. The timing aligned with broader national efforts to organize the remaining territories.

Event Detail America 250 Atlas

1889

Politics 19th Century Latin America & Caribbean

Brazil Proclaimed a Republic After Coup

The Empire of Brazil under Emperor Pedro II had faced growing republican sentiment, military discontent, and economic pressures following the abolition of slavery in 1888. Agrarian elites and positivist officers sought a more modern, centralized government. On November 15, 1889, Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca led troops in a nearly bloodless coup in Rio de Janeiro, seizing government buildings and deposing the emperor without significant resistance. Pedro II was exiled, and a provisional republican government was immediately established with Fonseca as president. The monarchy ended after nearly seven decades, and Brazil transitioned to a federal republic. The event was formalized the next day through official declarations.

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