Today In History: A Big Dam Deal

Hoover Dam on the Colorado River straddling Nevada and Arizona at dusk.
October 9. On this day in history, remarkable innovations and cultural moments shaped the world. In 1936, Hoover Dam began transmitting electricity to Los Angeles, lighting up a growing metropolis. A decade later, in 1946, the first electric blanket was sold for $39.50, revolutionizing cold nights. Music history hit a high note in 1965 when The Beatles' "Yesterday" climbed to #1, where it remained for four weeks. In 1969, The Supremes released "Someday We'll Be Together," marking Diana Ross’s final recording with the group. Technology took a leap in 1980 with the first consumer home banking by computer. Joan Rivers broke ground in 1986 as the first woman to host a US late-night TV talk show. In 2023, a Minnesota man set a world record with a 2,749-pound pumpkin. And in 2012, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released The Heist, launching a wave of hits—and a new voice in hip-hop. That’s today’s Almanac, on Northwest Newsradio.

Hoover Dam on the Colorado River straddling Nevada and Arizona at dusk.