Portal:United States/Anniversaries/October/October 12
- 1692 – The Salem witch trials are ended by a letter from Province of Massachusetts Bay Governor William Phips.
- 1773 – America's first insane asylum opens.
- 1792 – The first celebration of Columbus Day is held in New York City.
- 1892 – The Pledge of Allegiance is first recited by students in many US public schools.
- 1918 – A massive forest fire kills 453 people in Minnesota.
- 2000 – The USS Cole, a US Navy destroyer, is badly damaged by two al-Qaeda suicide bombers, killing 17 crew members and wounding at least 39.