On October 31, 1864, Congress admitted Nevada as the 36th state in the Union. With President Lincoln coming up for re-election and looking for support for his proposed 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Nevadans had moved quickly to meet the legal requirements for statehood, ultimately sending the entire text of the proposed state constitution to Washington by telegraph, creating in the longest - and most expensive - telegram on record to that date.

On October 31, 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two security guards, precipitating riots throughout the country.