History Tap No. 14: October 12, 2026

Round 1: landmark

Hoover Dam

Opened in Nevada, in 1936.

• Its construction was the result of a massive effort involving thousands of workers, and cost over 96 lives.
• Constructed between 1931 and 1936, during the Great Depression, it was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• Designed by Gordon Kaufmann.

Round 2: landmark

Columbus Circle

Opened in Manhattan Community Board 4, New York, on October 12, 1892.

• The circle is the Kilometre zero, point from which official highway distances from New York City are measured, as well as the center of the 25 miles (40 km) restricted-travel area for C-2 visa holders.
• The name is also used for the neighborhood that surrounds the circle for a few blocks in each direction.
• Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, is located to the southwest, and the Theater District is to the southeast and the Lincoln Square section of the Upper West Side is to the northwest.

Round 3: historic event, world

Storming of the Bastille

Happened in France, on July 14, 1789.

• The prison contained only seven inmates at the time of its storming and was already scheduled for demolition but was seen by the revolutionaries as a symbol of the monarchy's abuse of power.
• Its fall was the flashpoint of the French Revolution.
• In France, 14 July is a national holiday called Fête nationale française which commemorates both the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille and the Fête de la Fédération which occurred on its first anniversary in 1790.

Round 4: landmark

Hearst Castle

Built in California, in 1919.

• Their guest list included many of the Hollywood stars of the Roaring Twenties; Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant, the Marx Brothers, Greta Garbo, Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford, Jean Harlow and Clark Gable all visited, some on multiple occasions.
• Political luminaries encompassed Calvin Coolidge and Winston Churchill while other notables included Charles Lindbergh, P. G. Wodehouse and Bernard Shaw.
• Originally intended to be a family home for Hearst, his wife Millicent and their five sons, by 1925 Hearst's marriage was effectively over and San Simeon became the home of him and his mistress, the actress Marion Davies.

Round 5: pop culture, world

2008 Summer Paralympics

Happened in China, in 2008.

• China dominated the medal count, finishing with 89 gold medals and 211 total medals, more than double the next-ranked NPC in both cases.
• Beijing was selected to host the 2022 Winter Paralympics, making it the first city to host both Summer and Winter Games.
• 339 Paralympic records and 279 world records were broken.