21 fun facts for February, 16
Discover dozens of fun facts for this special day. Read the summary for a quick recap on what happened.
Summary
February 16th witnessed remarkable historical events, from Elizabeth Taylor's first marriage and the debut of the Euro currency to the first Formula One World Championship race and the Kyoto Protocol entering into force. This date also celebrates National Almond Day in the US and National Pancake Day in Iceland.
21 Fun facts
- Elizabeth Taylor's first marriage took place on February 16, 1952. At just 19, she wed hotel heir Conrad Hilton Jr., beginning her storied history of relationships and marriages.
- The USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana Harbor on February 16, 1898. The event was a catalyst for the Spanish-American War, with newspaper headlines proclaiming "Remember the Maine!"
- February 16 is National Almond Day in the United States. This popular nut has multiple health benefits and is used in various sweet and savory dishes.
- On February 16, 1968, the first 9-1-1 emergency call was made in the United States, in Haleyville, Alabama. This revolutionary system changed the way people accessed help during emergencies.
- In 1923, archaeologist Howard Carter unsealed the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun on February 16. The discovery remains one of the most famous archaeological finds in history.
- On February 16, 1852, the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company was founded in Indiana, eventually becoming one of America's top automobile manufacturers.
- February 16, 1959, witnessed Fidel Castro sworn in as the Cuban Prime Minister. Castro would lead Cuba for nearly five decades.
- The Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, entered into force on February 16, 2005. This important step towards tackling climate change has been ratified by 192 countries.
- On February 16, 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was sworn in as Liberia's President, making her Africa's first female elected head of state.
- The first Formula One World Championship race took place on February 16, 1950, at Silverstone Circuit in England. Italian driver Giuseppe Farina won the race driving an Alfa Romeo.
- On February 16, 1961, the United States launched Explorer 9, a 13-kilogram satellite designed to study Earth's upper atmosphere.
- February 16 is National Pancake Day in Iceland. Known as "Sprengidagur," people across the country enjoy eating pancakes and salted meat to celebrate.
- In 1804, US Navy Commodore Stephen Decatur led a daring raid to destroy the captured American frigate USS Philadelphia in Tripoli Harbor on February 16. The successful assault became a hallmark of American naval heroism.
- February 16, 1999, marked the debut of the Euro currency in the form of physical banknotes and coins.
- On February 16, 1951, New York City's Metropolitan Opera House staged the world premiere of the ballet version of Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring."
- Country singer Lyle Lovett and actress Julia Roberts were married on February 16, 1993. The couple's union was a surprise to many, and they divorced less than two years later.
- In 1960, the United States launched the world's first-ever weather satellite, Vanguard 2, on February 16.
- On February 16, 1926, physicist and astronomer Robert H. Goddard launched the world's first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn, Massachusetts.
- February 16, 1923, saw the birth of famous American weatherman Irv Weinstein. With a career spanning over 50 years, Weinstein was known for his wit and humor, becoming a beloved figure in Buffalo, New York.
- In 1961, Wilma Rudolph set a world indoor record for the 60-yard dash at the Millrose Games on February 16, further solidifying her status as an athletics icon.
- The Vatican issued its first postage stamps on February 16, 1929, following the signing of the Lateran Treaty, which established an independent Vatican City.