January 24: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On January 24, 1848, a carpenter spotted glimmers of gold in a California sawmill, igniting a rush that would reshape a continent.
About January 24
When James W. Marshall noticed flecks of precious metal in the tailrace of Sutter's Mill near Sacramento on this date in 1848, he could hardly have predicted that his discovery would draw hundreds of thousands of fortune-seekers to California within a few short years. The Gold Rush transformed a remote territory into an economic powerhouse almost overnight, accelerating America's westward expansion and permanently altering the landscape, the population, and the destiny of what would become the most populous U.S. state.
Half a world away and eleven years later, January 24 also became a defining date for Romania. In 1859, the regions of Moldavia and Wallachia united as a personal union under Domnitor Alexandru Ioan Cuza, laying the cornerstone for the modern Romanian state. Romanians still celebrate this date annually as the Day of the Unification of the Romanian Principalities, one of several official observances the nation marks on this day.
The date also carries a lighter claim to fame. In 1935, the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company began selling the very first canned beer, forever changing how Americans enjoy a cold one—a milestone toasted each year on Beer Can Appreciation Day. And in 1908, Robert Baden-Powell organized England's inaugural Boy Scout troop, planting the seeds of a global youth movement that endures to this day.
Holidays & Observances on January 24
- Day of the Unification of the Romanian Principalities (Romania)
- Feast of Our Lady of Peace (Roman Catholic Church), and its related observances: Feria de Alasitas (La Paz)
- Uttar Pradesh Day (Uttar Pradesh, India)
- National Girl Child Day (India)
Fun & National Days on January 24
- Beer Can Appreciation Day — Crack open your favorite brew and toast the 1935 invention that made portable beer possible.
- Global Belly Laugh Day — Let out a deep, unstoppable belly laugh—bonus points if it's contagious to everyone nearby.
- National Peanut Butter Day — Spread it thick on toast, bake it into cookies, or eat a spoonful straight from the jar.
- Macintosh Computer Day — Pay homage to the iconic 1984 Apple launch that brought friendly computing to the masses.
- Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day — Channel your inner forty-niner and sprinkle your speech with plenty of "goldurn" and "consarnit."
- National Compliment Day — Brighten a stranger's afternoon with a genuine, unexpected, and heartfelt compliment.
- Local Quilt Shop Day
- National "Just Do It" Day
- National Edy's Pie Patent Day
- National Lobster Thermidor Day
On This Day in History
- 41 — Following the assassination of his nephew Caligula, the Praetorian Guard declared Claudius the new Roman emperor.
- 1536 — King Henry VIII of England took a severe jousting blow to the head, an injury historians believe worsened his temperament and may have caused impotence.
- 1848 — Carpenter James W. Marshall discovered gold flecks at Sutter's Mill near Sacramento, touching off the California Gold Rush.
- 1857 — The University of Calcutta was officially established, becoming the first fully fledged university in South Asia.
- 1859 — Moldavia and Wallachia united under Domnitor Alexandru Ioan Cuza, forming what would later be known as Romania.
- 1908 — Robert Baden-Powell organized the first Boy Scout troop in England, launching a worldwide youth movement.
- 1916 — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad that the federal income tax was constitutional.
- 1933 — The 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, shifting the start and end dates of federal office terms.
- 1935 — Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company introduced the first canned beer to the market, revolutionizing beverage packaging.
- 1946 — The United Nations General Assembly adopted its inaugural resolution, creating the UN Atomic Energy Commission.
- 1986 — NASA's Voyager 2 probe made its closest flyby of Uranus, returning the first detailed images of the ice giant.
- 1990 — Japan launched Hiten, its first lunar probe and the first robotic lunar mission since the Soviet Luna 24 in 1976.
Famous Birthdays on January 24
- 76 — Hadrian, Roman emperor renowned for building Hadrian's Wall and fostering a cultural renaissance across the empire.
- 1712 — Frederick the Great, Prussian king who transformed his realm into a major European military and cultural power in the 18th century.
- 1732 — Pierre Beaumarchais, French playwright and financier best known for the Figaro plays that inspired operas by Mozart and Rossini.
- 1776 — E. T. A. Hoffmann, German jurist, author, and composer whose darkly fantastical tales influenced Romantic literature and music.
- 1862 — Edith Wharton, American novelist and short-story writer who won a Pulitzer for her incisive portraits of Gilded Age society.
- 1941 — Neil Diamond, American singer-songwriter and guitarist whose decades-spanning catalog includes "Sweet Caroline" and "Cracklin' Rosie."
- 1947 — Warren Zevon, American singer-songwriter famed for his darkly witty rock songs including the enduring hit "Werewolves of London."
- 1949 — John Belushi, American actor and comedian who rose to fame on Saturday Night Live and starred in the comedy classic Animal House.
- 1968 — Mary Lou Retton, American gymnast who became the first U.S. woman to win Olympic all-around gold, at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
- 1986 — Mischa Barton, English-American actress best known for her starring role in the hit television drama The O.C.