Labor Day, roller coasters and 4 new states: Explore the major events of the 1880s

Here are some key moments of the 1880s:

1880

Thomas Edison established the Edison Illuminating Company, one of the first electrical power companies. According to Rutgers University, the New York City company was the prototype for many other electric companies that would soon power people’s homes.

1881

Three different presidents ran the United States during this year. Rutherford B. Hayes was president until March 4, when James Garfield was inaugurated. Garfield would only serve for a few months, according to the National Parks Service. In July, he was shot by an assassin, and Garfield died on September 19. Soon after, Chester Arthur — Garfield’s vice president — assumed the presidency.

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1882

The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882. According to the Library of Congress, there were picnics, a concert and speeches to mark the day, which saw more than 10,000 workers march in a parade.

1883

The Adventures of Pinocchio was first published as a book in Italy. Almost 60 years later, it would be made into a classic Disney film.

1884

LaMarcus Thompson, “the father of American roller coaster,” completes construction of the first roller coaster in the U.S. and opens it to the public. According to the American Physical Society, the ride was the Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway in Coney Island.

Fireworks light up the sky by the Washington Monument during inauguration ceremonies Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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1885

The Washington Monument in D.C. is dedicated. The 555-foot marble obelisk, honoring the U.S.’ first president, was the tallest building in the world.

The Statue of Liberty is seen in New York, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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1886

The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886. A gift from France, the iconic statue features many symbolic pieces, according to the Ellis Island Foundation: her crown represents light going out to the world, her tablet represents American independence and the broken shackle and chains at her feet represent the end of American slavery.

1887

Oregon was the first state to pass a law, in February, officially recognizing Labor Day. Later that year, four more states recognized Labor Day.

This May 5, 2018 image shows cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park near Cortez, Colorado. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

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1888

Two cowboys looking for lost cattle find Mesa Verde, a vast city of cliff dwellings where the Ancestral Pueblo people lived. The Colorado site would later become a national park and is considered the United States’ largest archaeological preserve.

1889

The states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington joined the union in November. The areas had been territories for years, according to the Library of Congress, and when they joined the union the United States had 42 states.