1. On October 21, 1783, General George Washington visited Princeton, New Jersey to attend a meeting of the Continental Congress. During his visit, he attended a dinner at the Nassau Inn where he was honored with a toast by the governor of New Jersey.

2. In 1879, Thomas Edison successfully tested his first electric lamp at his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey on October 21st. This event marked a major milestone in the development of electric lights and paved the way for the widespread adoption of electric lighting systems.

3. On October 21, 2007, the New Jersey Devils played their first game at the newly-built Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils, who had previously played their home games at the Continental Airlines Arena, won their inaugural game at the arena 4-1 against the Ottawa Senators.

4. In 1938, an infamous broadcast of the radio drama "The War of the Worlds" caused panic and chaos across the United States, including in New Jersey. The program, which was presented as a news broadcast, convinced many listeners that an actual Martian invasion was taking place. As a result, many people fled their homes in fear.

5. On October 21, 1861, Confederate pirates captured the Union steamship E. A. Stevens off the coast of New Jersey. The pirates, who were operating the famed Confederate warship CSS Sumter, plundered the vessel and took several prisoners before releasing the ship and its crew. The incident was one of several pirate attacks that occurred along the coast during the Civil War.