1. On October 11, 1777, General George Washington's troops engaged in the Battle of Germantown, a significant Revolutionary War conflict that took place in Philadelphia.
2. In 1809, on this day, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society was founded in Philadelphia, which is still active today and works to promote gardening and horticulture in the Philadelphia region.
3. In 1863, Governor Andrew Curtin declared October 11 as a day of thanksgiving for the Union victory at Gettysburg and the turning point of the Civil War.
4. October 11, 1906, marked a milestone in Pennsylvania's transportation history with the opening of the Susquehanna River Bridge, which was at the time, the longest bridge in the world and facilitated rail travel between Harrisburg and Enola.
5. On October 11, 1968, Pittsburgh born baseball player, Roberto Clemente, became the first Latin American to collect 3,000 career hits in the major leagues, solidifying his place as one of the greatest players of all time.