Daily Almanac for Saturday, October 9, 2021

On this date 100 AD, Leif Erikson founded New Foundland. Here is his statue by John K. Daniels, 1948–49, near the Minnesota State Capitol. By Mulad – Own work, Public Domain, https commons.wikimedia.org

LEIF ERIKSSON DAY

In A.D. 1000, long before Columbus, Eriksson led a Viking voyage westward from Greenland and reached the coast of North America, in what is now Newfoundland. He named his discovery Vinland. Although Eriksson is not officially credited with the European discovery of America, ever since 1964 U.S. presidents have had the option of proclaiming October 9 as Leif Eriksson Day.

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