Year 1845: Fun Facts, Trivia, and History

This quick read presents a mix of fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1845. Discover the year’s top news stories, most influential people, historic firsts, noteworthy inventions, famous birthdays and deaths, retail prices, entertainment trivia, and much more.

Take a journey through history in just minutes.

1. President of the United States: John Tyler (Independent-Virginia)—Until March 4
2. President of the United States: James K. Polk (D-Tennessee)—Beginning on March 4
3. Vice President: Vacant—Until March 4
4. Vice President: George M. Dallas (D-Pennsylvania)—Beginning on March 4
5. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Roger B. Taney (Maryland)
6. Speaker of the House of Representatives: John Winston Jones (Democrat-Virginia)—Until March 4
7. Speaker of the House of Representatives: John Wesley Davis (D-Indiana)—Beginning on December 1
8. The 28th U.S. Congress was in session until March 4, when the 29th U.S. Congress convened.
9. Inflation rate: 1.33%
10. Consumer price index (CPI): 7.600
11. $100.00 in 1845 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $4,381.84 today. The U.S. dollar had “an average inflation rate of 2.11% per year” between 1845 and 2026, “producing a cumulative price increase of $4,281.84. In other words, a U.S. dollar today buys about 2.282% of what it could purchase back in 1845.
12. It’s worth noting that the U.S. dollar has lost about 98% of its value since 1845.
13. American companies founded in 1845 included Hooven-Owens-Rentschler (a manufacturer of steam and diesel engines); the J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company (a glass manufacturer); and the News-Press & Gazette Company (a media company).
14. American railroads established in 1845 were the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad, the Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad, and the Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad.
15. In 1845, there were 28 U.S. states. In order of admission to the Union, they were Delaware (1787), Pennsylvania (1787), New Jersey (1787), Georgia (1788), Connecticut (1788), Massachusetts (1788), Maryland (1788), South Carolina (1788), New Hampshire (1788), Virginia (1788), New York (1788), North Carolina (1789), Rhode Island (1790), Vermont (1791), Kentucky (1792), Tennessee (1796), Ohio (1803), Louisiana (1837), Indiana (1816), Mississippi (1817), Illinois (1818), Alabama (1819), Maine (1820), Missouri (1821), Arkansas (1836), Michigan (1837), Florida (1845), and Texas (1845).
16. In 1845, farmers comprised about 69% of the American labor force, and farming practices in the U.S. varied by region. For example, the Northeast focused on “diversified agriculture” to support growing urban areas like Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. On the other hand, the South “experienced a boom in cotton production fueled by the cotton gin and slave labor.”
17. On January 1, the Cobble Hill Tunnel in Brooklyn was completed and became the world's first subway tunnel.
18. On January 10, Victorian poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning “began their legendary correspondence.”
19. On January 29, American writer Edgar Allan Poe published his narrative poem, The Raven, in New York City-based The Evening Mirror.
20. On February 7, a heavily intoxicated visitor to the British Museum shattered the priceless Portland Vase—an artifact from the Roman Empire—into more than 200 pieces.
21. In March, American author Walt Whitman published his short story, Arrow-Tip, which was later renamed The Half-Breed.
22. On March 1, President Tyler signed a resolution that annexed the Republic of Texas.
23. On March 3, Congress “reined in” President John Tyler’s “zealous use of the presidential veto, overriding it with the necessary two-thirds vote. This marked Congress’ first use of the Constitutional provision allowing Congressional veto overrides and represented Congress’ parting gift to Tyler as he left office.”
24. On March 3, Florida became the 27th U.S. state.
25. On April 10, over 1,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed by a massive blaze in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Known as “the Great Fire of Pittsburgh, the disaster swept through the city's downtown district, razing roughly a third of the city and leaving over 12,000 people homeless.”
26. On August 28, Rufus Porter published the first issue of Scientific American. Ten months later he sold the magazine for $800.
27. On October 10, the United States Naval Academy opened in Annapolis, Maryland, “with 50 midshipmen students and seven professors. Known as the Naval School until 1850, the curriculum included mathematics and navigation, gunnery and steam, chemistry, English, natural philosophy, and French.”
28. In December, the future U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant played in an amateur production of Shakespeare’s Othello in Corpus Christi, Texas. “Because he was relatively short, clean-shaven, and considered good-looking, he was cast in the female lead role of Desdemona.”
29. On December 29, Texas became a U.S. state.
30. In 1845, Hiram Ricker of Poland Sprin, Maine, began bottling and sharing Poland Spring water with his friends and neighbors.
31. New York industrialist and inventor Peter Cooper received a U.S. patent “for the creation of portable, powdered gelatin.”
32. Favorite baby names for boys in 1845 were Arthur, Benjamin, Eli, George, Henry, James, John, Joseph, Thomas, and William. Popular baby names for girls were Ada, Alice, Amelia, Charlotte, Clara, Cora, Elizabeth, Emma, Jane, and Lucy.
33. In 1845, the average life expectancy at birth in the United States was about 41 years for a white male and around 43 years for a white female. During the 1800s, if an individual survived to age 10, their remaining life expectancy would jump considerably, and they could often expect to live into their 50s, 60s, or even 70s.
34. What types of recreation were popular in the 1840s? For adults, familiar activities included berry-picking socials, card games, church socials, dominos, parlor games, picnics, puzzles, and square dances. Children enjoyed games like marbles and shinny.
35. Popular 1840s slang expressions included “absquatulate” (to leave abruptly), “afternoonified” (a refined or sophisticated person), “chisel” (to swindle or cheat), “chowderhead” (a foolish person), “clodhoppers” (heavy work shoes), “Drat!” (an expression of frustration), “highfalutin” (pretentious or pompous), “hornswoggle” (to cheat or deceive someone), “muttonhead” (a stupid person), “raft” (a large number), “shifty” (not trustworthy), and “whooperups” (people who are inferior singers).
36. Famous people born in 1845 were Daniel David Palmer (physician), Isidor Straus (entrepreneur), and Mary Eliza Mahoney (the first African American professional nurse).
37. Notable people who died in 1845 included Andrew Jackson (U.S. president), Johnny Appleseed (missionary), and Joseph Story (Supreme Court justice).
38. In 1845 as well, the words “acid rain,” “aggravated assault,” “aircraft,” “animal rights,” “apartment building,” “barn raising,” “baseball,” “candy-coated,” “driveway,” “Iron Age,” “last straw,” “musicology,” “New Orleanian,” “phonographer,” “plaque,” “potato blight,” “ringmaster,” “rheumatoid,” “sweat gland,” “tape measure,” “third base,” “Tom and Jerry,” and “venetian glass” all appeared in print for the first time.
39. 12 eggs: Around 12 cents
40. One bushel of potatoes: About 50 cents
41. One pound of butter: Around 20 cents
42. One ton of coal for home heating: About $1.00
43. Two pounds of ham: Around 25 cents
44. Two pounds of sugar: About 30 cents
45. Washboard: Around 37 cents

References:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1845_in_the_United_States
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_companies_established_in_1845
3. https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1845
4. https://www.foodreference.com/html/html/food-timeline-1841.html
5. https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1845
6. https://www.merriam-webster.com/time-traveler/1845
7. https://www.famousbirthdays.com/deceased/1845.html
8. https://www.famousbirthdays.com/year/1845.html
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1845_in_literature
10. https://www.history.com/a-year-in-history/1845

Disclaimer: In writing and editing this article, Gregory DeVictor has made every effort to ensure historical accuracy and not to mislead his audience. In addition, the contents of this article, including text, graphics, and captions, are for general informational purposes only.

© 2026 Gregory DeVictor