Year 1904 Fun Facts, Trivia, and Historical Events

This quick read presents a collection of fun facts, trivia, and historical events from the year 1904. Discover the year’s top news stories, most influential people, sports facts, historic firsts, entertainment news, and much more.

Take a journey through history in just minutes.

1. In 1904, Theodore Roosevelt (R-New York) was the 26th president of the United States, and the vice president’s office was vacant.
2. The U.S. unemployment rate was 5.4%, and the nation’s inflation rate was 1.14%.
3. American companies and brands launched in 1904 included Bank of America, Brach’s, Lane Bryant, Lightolier, and Waldbaum’s.
4. On January 7, the maritime distress signal “CQD” (Come, Quick, Danger) was adopted and served as the global standard until it was replaced by the “SOS” distress signal in 1906.
5. On February 23, the U.S. Senate ratified the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, giving the United States control of the Panama Canal Zone and facilitating the construction of the Panama Canal. The treaty required the U.S. to pay Panama a one-time fee of $10 million plus an “annual annuity” of $250,000.
6. On April 8, Longacre Square, located in midtown Manhattan, was renamed Times Square as a tribute to the New York Times.
7. On April 8, Great Britain and France signed the "Entente Cordiale" (Cordial Agreement). The accord settled numerous "controversial matters” and antagonisms between the two nations, thus improving Anglo-French relations.
8. April 30 to December 1: The Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair took place in St. Louis, Missouri.
9. On May 4, U.S. Army engineers began work on the Panama Canal—a 51-mile “artificial” waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean across the Isthmus of Panama.
10. July 1 to November 23: The 1904 Summer Olympics occurred in St. Louis, making it the first time they were held outside of Europe.
11. On September 4, the 20-floor St. Regis Hotel opened at 2 East 55th Street in New York City. It was the first hotel to have central heat and air conditioning in every room.
12. On October 17, Amadeo Giannini founded the Bank of Italy in San Francisco. (The Bank of Italy later became known as the Bank of America.)
13. On November 8, in the U.S. presidential election, Republican incumbent President Theodore Roosevelt defeated Alton B. Parker, the Democratic candidate.
14. On December 31, the first New Year's Eve celebration in New York City’s Times Square took place.
15. In 1904, Michael Spring won the Boston Marathon, Elwood was the winning horse at the Kentucky Derby, and the Boston Americans won the World Series.
16. American businessman Benjamin Holt invented the caterpillar tractor.
17. Charles E. Minches of St. Louis, Missouri, introduced the ice cream cone at the St. Louis World's Fair.
18. Thomas Sullivan, a New York City tea merchant, invented the tea bag.
19. Dr. Alexander Anderson, an American physician and illustrator, introduced puffed rice at the St. Louis World's Fair.
20. General Foods launched Post Toasties, a popular American breakfast cereal.
21. Nutritionist and author Adele Davis was born. On January 1, 1954, she published her best-selling and controversial book, Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit.
22. Other famous people born in 1904 included Cary Grant (movie actor), Count Basie (pianist), Dr. Seuss (children’s author), Glenn Miller (composer), and Jean Dixon (astrologer).
23. Famous people who died in 1904 were Anton Chekhov (author), Kate Chopin (novelist), Henry Morton Stanley (explorer), Theodor Herzl (playwright), and William Collins Whitney (business executive).
24. America’s favorite songs were Uncle Josh & the Insurance Company (Cal Stewart), Bedelia (the Haydn Quartet), and Sweet Adeline (the Haydn Quartet).
25. Popular movies for the year included The Ex-Convict, The Impossible Voyage, The Lost Child, The Mermaid, The Wonderful Living Fan, and Westinghouse Works.
26. In 1904, the words "aerial ladder," "attaché case," "bell bottoms," "big picture," "book club," "comic book," "dill pickle," "dingbat," "energy drink," "gastroenterology," "Juris Doctor," "martial arts," "Peter Pan," "pink slip," "shop steward," "tongue twister," "track meet," and "tweezer" all appeared in print for the first time.

References:

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/time-traveler/1904
2. https://popculturemadness.com/1904-history-trivia-fun-facts/
3. https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/1904
4. https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?release_date=1904-01-01,1904-12-31&sort=num_votes,desc
5. https://www.mclib.info/Research/Local-History-Genealogy/Historic-Prices/Historic-Prices-1900s/Historic-Prices-1904
6. https://www.foodreference.com/html/html/yearonlytimeline1900-1950.html
7. https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1904
8. https://www.infoplease.com/year/1904

© 2026 Gregory DeVictor