1. On October 24, 1774, the first recorded instance of Mardi Gras in New Orleans took place when a group of French settlers came together for a masked ball.

2. On October 24, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was officially signed, doubling the size of the United States and giving the country control over the Mississippi River and New Orleans as a port.

3. On October 24, 1947, musician Fats Domino recorded his first single, "The Fat Man," at J&M Studio in New Orleans, which went on to become a hit and a defining song of rhythm and blues music.

4. On October 24, 1987, the Archbishop of New Orleans dedicated the Superdome's new organ, a massive instrument with 8,000 pipes that is still considered one of the best in the world.

5. On October 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita made landfall in Louisiana, causing devastating damage to coastal communities and leading to the evacuation of over one million people.