1. Tennessee was granted statehood on August 31, 1796, becoming the 16th state in the United States. The territory of Tennessee had been under the control of the United States since the end of the American Revolutionary War, and its residents had been seeking statehood for several years before it was finally granted.

2. On August 31, 1864, the Battle of Jonesborough was fought in Tennessee, marking the end of the Atlanta Campaign during the Civil War. Union forces under General William T. Sherman defeated Confederate forces under General John Bell Hood, which allowed Sherman to take control of Atlanta.

3. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established on August 31, 1934, making it the most visited national park in the United States. The park covers over 500,000 acres and straddles the border between Tennessee and North Carolina.

4. On August 31, 1964, the Tennessee State Fair opened for the first time in Nashville. The fair features livestock exhibitions, agricultural displays, carnival rides, and other entertainment, and has been held annually ever since.

5. The Grand Ole Opry, one of the oldest and most famous live music venues in the world, made its debut radio broadcast from Nashville on August 31, 1925. The Opry has featured generations of country music stars, including Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, and Garth Brooks, among many others.