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February 16: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

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Facts & Historic Events That Happened on February 16

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February 16th is known as Innovation Day as well as Do a Grouch a Favor Day.

Welcome to day 47 of 366! There are 319 days left in 2024.

What better way to inspire that impact than with these incredible events and facts about this day? Tap into these amazing events to tap into your full potential.

Did you know that on this day in 1968, the first ever 911 call was made in the US? The call was made in Haleyville, Alabama by Senator Rankin Fite.

Keep reading for more fun & interesting facts about February 16th in history!

Events

What memorable events happened on February 16 in history? Keep reading to find out!

2013

Lionel Messi scored his 300th goal for Barcelona’s soccer team.

He promptly scored his 301st goal for the team, winning the game 2-1 against Granada in Spain’s La Liga football league.

2005

Reality documentary The Apprentice (UK) premiered with businessman Lord Alan Sugar as the leading judge.

OTD in 2005: Reality documentary The Apprentice (UK) premiered with businessman Lord Alan Sugar as the leading judge.

1980

The world’s longest traffic jam from Lyon to Paris, France, extended a lengthy 104 miles (167 km).

1968

The first-ever 911 call was made in the US.

The service went live on this day in Haleyville, Alabama.

1961

NASA’s Explorer 9 satellite launched from the Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia.

The satellite looked like something straight out of a science fiction film, as it was a giant 12-foot (3.66 m) metallic sphere covered in white dots to aid thermal control. The purpose of Explorer 9 was to study the composition and density of Earth’s lower exosphere and upper atmosphere. It was the first spacecraft to launch successfully from the Wallops Flight Facility and the first to reach orbit atop a launch vehicle that only used solid fuel.

1959

Fidel Castro was sworn in as Prime Minister of Cuba.

After leading a Communist guerilla campaign that forced dictator Fulgencio Batista into exile, Castro then became the leader and was sworn in.

1946

The first commercial helicopter, Sikorsky S51, had its first test flight.

OTD in 1946: The first commercial helicopter

The test took place in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA.

1943

Winston Churchill fell ill with pneumonia.

1934

The Austrian Civil War came to an end after four days of bloodshed.

Also known as the February Uprising, this was more a series of conflicts between Austrian socialists and the fascist government than an outright war. The socialists ultimately surrendered after as many as 1,000 casualties.

1923

Egyptian King Tutankhamun’s coffin was discovered.

OTD in 1923: Egyptian King Tutankhamun's coffin was discovered.

English archeologist Howard Carter entered the tomb on November 22, where everything was fully intact, untouched for over 3,000 years. Inside there were four rooms, and upon opening the last chamber on this day, they found the golden coffin belonging to King Tutankhamun.

1899

Iceland’s first football club, Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkurv (Reykjavík Football Club), was founded.

1862

The Battle of Fort Donelson ended, with nearly 14,000 Confederate soldiers surrendering.

Even though nearly 1,000 soldiers on both sides were killed at the Battle of Fort Donelson in Tennessee, the Confederate soldiers surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant.

1840

American explorer Charles Wilkes discovered the Shackleton Ice Shelf in Antarctica.

OTD in 1840: American explorer Charles Wilkes discovered the Shackleton Ice Shelf in Antarctica.

1659

The first known British check was written for the amount of £400.

In today’s money, that’s equivalent to £48,000 ($62,525). The check is currently on display at Westminster Abbey.

Famous Births

Is today your birthday? If so, you share the same birthday with Ava Max. Here are a few other famous people born on this day.

1990

The Weeknd

Canadian

Singer

The Weeknd

Age:

34 years old

Born In:

Ontario, Canada

1989

Elizabeth Olsen

American

Actress

Elizabeth Olsen

Age:

35 years old

Born In:

California, USA

1994

Ava Max

American

Singer

Ava Max

Age:

30 years old

Born In:

Wisconsin, USA

1941

Kim Jong-il

North Korean

Politician

Kim Jong-il

Died On:

Dec 17, 2011 (Age 70)

Born In:

Khabarovsk, Russia

Famous Deaths

Unfortunately, February 16th has also been a day where we’ve had to say some goodbyes over the years…

1958

1990

Keith Haring

American

Artist

Keith Haring

1958

1990

Keith Haring

Keith Haring was an American artist born on May 4, 1958. He died on this day in 1990, at age 31 in New York City, New York, USA.

Died On:

Feb 16, 1990 (Age 31)

Died In:

New York, USA

Special Holidays

If you can spare some time today, here are some unique holidays you could get involved with.

February 16: National Innovation Day
United States

National Innovation Day

How many times have you had a light-bulb idea, and before you know it, you’ve forgotten it? Today is Innovation Day, so pull out a notebook and get the ideas written down! Who knows – you could be sitting on a small fortune!

February 16: National Do a Grouch a Favor Day
United States

National Do a Grouch a Favor Day

We all have that friend in our lives who can be a little bit grumpy at times. So today, on Do a Grouch a Favor Day, try to do something nice for them, you might just lift them out of their bad mood!

THe Fact Site’s

Fun Fact Of The Day

The 6th largest pyramid in the world is a Bass Pro Shops megastore in the Memphis Pyramid. At 32 stories tall, it also has the tallest freestanding elevator in the US.

Birthday & Zodiac

If you were born on February 16th, your zodiac sign is Aquarius.

Being a lone thinker can make Aquarians somewhat detached from their world, and the world everybody else lives in.

If you were born in February, your birthstone is the Amethyst. Ancient Greeks believed that the Amethyst protected the person wearing it from drunkenness and helped keep the wearer sober-minded.

People born on February 16 were likely conceived on or around May 26 in the previous year.

Babies conceived on February 16th, 2024, will likely be born around November 9th, 2024.

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