What are the important events that happened on January 4? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

January 4: Facts & Myths About This Day

January 4 is the 4^th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 362 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Thursday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is December 22, 2023 – a Thursday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 28,405,440 minutes has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.

Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘tetragon’ day.

Capricorn is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Garnet is the modern birthstone for this month. Emerald is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 37 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.

The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,031 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

January 4 Historical Events

• 1865 –
  The New York Stock Exchange opens its first permanent headquarters at 10-12 Broad near Wall Street in New York, New York.
• 1903 –
  Topsy, an elephant, is electrocuted by Thomas Edison during the War of Currents campaign.
• 1912 –
  The Scout Association is incorporated throughout the British Commonwealth by Royal charter.
• 1944 –
  World War II: Operation Carpetbagger, involving the dropping of arms and supplies to resistance fighters in Europe, begins.
• 1951 –
  Korean War: Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul.
• 1974 –
  United States President Richard Nixon refuses to hand over materials subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee.
• 1976 –
  The Reavey and O'Dowd killings take place (part of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom)
• 1987 –
  The 1987 Maryland train collision: An Amtrak train en route to Boston, Massachusetts from Washington, D.C., collides with Conrail engines in Chase, Maryland, killing 16 people.
• 1998 –
  A massive ice storm hits eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, continuing through January 10 and causing widespread destruction.
• 2010 –
  The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building is officially opened.

Who were born on January 4?

• 1883 –
  Max Eastman, American writer (d. 1969)
• 1892 –
  Maria Diaz Cortes, Spanish supercentarian (d. 2009)
• 1950 –
  John Louis Evans, American convicted murderer (d. 1983)
• 1958 –
  Andy Borowitz, American comedian and satirist
• 1960 –
  Art Paul Schlosser, American comedian,singer and song writer
• 1963 –
  Till Lindemann, German singer (Rammstein)
• 1967 –
  David Toms, American golfer
• 1967 –
  Marina Orsini, Canadian actress
• 1982 –
  Richard Logan, English footballer
• 1990 –
  Iago Falqué Silva, Spanish footballer

Who died on January 4?

• 1874 –
  Thomas Gregson, Premier of Tasmania (b. 1798)
• 1896 –
  Joseph Hubert Reinkens, German Old Catholic bishop (b. 1821)
• 1919 –
  Georg von Hertling, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1843)
• 1962 –
  Hans Lammers, German SS officer (b. 1879)
• 2004 –
  Jake Hess, American singer (b. 1927)
• 2006 –
  Robert Howard White, New Zealander politician (b. 1914)
• 2007 –
  Steve Krantz, American film and TV producer (b. 1923)
• 2008 –
  Xavier Chamorro Cardenal, Nicaraguan print editor (b. 1932)
• 2010 –
  Casey Johnson, American heiress and socialite (b. 1979)
• 2011 –
  Mick Karn, Cypriot-born British musician (Japan) (b. 1958)