Decades: 1830s 1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s - 1880s - 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s
Years: 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 - 1889 - 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894
Events January 8 - Herman Hollerith receives a patent for his electric tabulating machine January 22 - Columbia Phonograph is formed in Washington, DC. February 11 - Meiji Constitution of Japan adopted; 1st Diet convenes in 1890 February 22 - President Grover Cleveland signs a bill admitting North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington as U.S. states. March 4 - Grover Cleveland, 24th President of the United States (1885 - 1889) is succeeded by Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893). March 23 - Land run: President Benjamin Harrison opens Oklahoma to white settlement starting on April 22. March 31 - The Eiffel Tower is inaugurated (opens May 6). April 22 - Oklahoma land rush: President Benjamin Harrison opens Oklahoma to white settlement; Land rush begins. June 3 - The first long distance electric power transmission line in the United States is completed, running 14 miles between a generator at Willamette Falls and downtown Portland, Oregon. June 12 - Armagh rail disaster. July 8 - The first issue of the Wall Street Journal is published. September 10 - Albert Honoré Charles Grimaldi becomes Reigning Prince Albert I of Monaco October 2 - In Washington, DC, the first international Conference of American States begins. November 2 - North Dakota and South Dakota are admitted as the 39th and 40th U.S. states. November 8 - Montana is admitted as the 41st U.S. state. November 11 - Washington is admitted as the 42nd U.S. state. November 14 - Pioneer woman Journalist Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) begins an attempt to beat travel around the world in less than 80 days (Bly finished the journey in 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes). November 15 - Brazil is declared a republic by Marechal Deodoro da Fonseca and Emperor Pedro II is deposed in a military coup (he was the second and last emperor of Brazil). Births February 6 - Elmo Lincoln, actor (+ 1952) February 11 - John Mills, American musician. February 11 - Vladimir Mikhaylovich Deshevov, composer. February 22 - Lady Olave Baden-Powell, World Chief Guide March 23 - Yukichi Chuganji, (+ 2003 with 114 years) March 29 - Warner Baxter, actor (+ 1951) April 15 - Thomas Hart Benton, U.S. muralist (+ 1975) April 16 - Charlie Chaplin, English actor and director April 20 - Adolf Hitler, German politician April 23 - Karel Doorman, Dutch admiral April 26 - Ludwig Wittgenstein, Austian-born English philosopher (+ 1951) May 12 - Otto Frank, writer, father of Anne Frank (+ 1980) May 15 - Bessie Hillman, founder, Almalgamated Clothing Workers of America May 15 - Mitoyo Kawate, later Oldest Person in the World. May 18 - Thomas Midgley, chemist and inventor (+ 1944) May 25 - Igor Sikorsky developer of a working helicopter (+ 1972) July 5 - Jean Cocteau, writer July 17 - Erle Stanley Gardner, author (+ 1970) November 16 - Charlotte Benkner, later Oldest Person in the World. Suzanne Duchamp, Dada painter (+ 1963) Deaths January 30 - Archduke Rudolph of Austria and Baroness Mary Vetsera, at Mayerling February 3 - Belle Starr, outlaw March 8 - John Ericsson - Swedish inventor and engineer March 12 - Emperor Johannes IV of Ethiopia May 12 - Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, Russian satirist June 15 - Mihai Eminescu, outstanding Romanian poet September 23 - Wilkie Collins, novelist December 6 - Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America