1. On February 16, 1945, the Battleship USS Pennsylvania returned to the United States after serving in the Pacific theater during World War II. The ship had sustained damage during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 but had been repaired and continued to serve until the end of the war.
2. February 16, 1861, was the day that Abraham Lincoln made his only visit to Pennsylvania as President-elect. He spoke at Independence Hall in Philadelphia and addressed the issue of secession, warning that it could lead to civil war.
3. The Pennsylvania Turnpike, one of the first major toll highways in the United States, opened on February 16, 1940. It stretches over 360 miles from near the Ohio border to Philadelphia and was an important link between the Midwest and the East Coast.
4. On February 16, 1859, Edwin L. Drake drilled the first oil well in the United States in Titusville, Pennsylvania. The discovery of oil in the region led to the growth of the petroleum industry and the development of Pennsylvania as a major oil-producing state.
5. February 16, 1822, was the birthdate of Francis Blackwell Mayer, a prominent Philadelphia painter and illustrator. He is best known for his historical paintings, including a series of murals in the Pennsylvania State Capitol building.
5 Fun Facts About February 16 In Pennsylvania History
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