Historical eventJanuary 81904

Blackstone Library

Blackstone Library (pictured), the first branch of the Chicago Public Library system, was dedicated.

In context

When
Friday, January 8 1904122 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1900s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

Russia, Greece and some other countries used the Julian calendar into the early 20th century, so local records may show a date up to 13 days earlier.

At a glance

Dates: From 1904.

What happened

T. B. Blackstone Memorial Library is part of the Chicago Public Library (CPL) System and is named for library benefactor Timothy Blackstone. The building was designed by Chicago architect Solon S. Beman. It is now known as the Chicago Public Library – Blackstone Branch and commonly referred to as Blackstone Library, or Blackstone Branch and sometimes Blackstone for short. The Concord Granite building's two-year construction started in 1902, and it was dedicated on January 8, 1904.

January 8 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1904Blackstone Library
  2. 2005USS San Francisco (SSN-711)
  3. 20092009 Cinchona earthquake
  4. 2010Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda
  5. 2011Jared Lee Loughner
  6. 2011Gabby Giffords
  7. 2016West Air Sweden Flight 294
  8. 2016El Chapo
  9. 2020Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752
  10. 2021La Vega raid
  11. 2023Jair Bolsonaro

Also in 1904

  • October 27Early history of the IRT subwayThe first underground segment of the New York City Subway opened, connecting New York City Hall (station pictured) with Harlem.
  • January 7Marconi CompanyThe Marconi International Marine Communication Company specified CQD (audio featured) as the distress signal to be used by its operators.
  • June 15PS General SlocumA fire aboard the steamboat SS General Slocum in New York City's East River kills 1,000.
  • December 3Himalia (moon)Himalia, Jupiter's largest irregular moon, was discovered by Charles Dillon Perrine at the Lick Observatory in California.
  • June 28SS NorgeIn the worst maritime disaster involving a Danish merchant ship, SS Norge ran aground on Hasselwood Rock and sank in the North Atlantic,…
  • December 6Theodore RooseveltPresident Theodore Roosevelt announced the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, justifying the exercise of "international police p…
  • March 6Scottish National Antarctic ExpeditionScottish National Antarctic Expedition: Led by William Speirs Bruce (pictured), the Antarctic region of Coats Land was discovered by the…
  • April 24RussificationRealizing that the Russification of Lithuania was not working, the Russian Empire lifted the 40-year-old ban on publications written in L…

Everything we record for 1904 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Blackstone Library”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/blackstone-library-1904-january-8, accessed October 27, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Blackstone Library happen?

January 8 1904 — 122 years ago, on a Friday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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