1. On February 18, 1862, the Battle of Fort Donelson began. This Confederate fort on the Cumberland River was a key defense for Nashville, but Union forces were able to capture it after a three-day battle, marking a major turning point in the Civil War.
2. On February 18, 1915, pioneering blues musician and Tennessee native Furry Lewis was born. He would go on to record and perform with the likes of Memphis Jug Band and Bukka White, and became known for his unique finger-picking guitar style.
3. In 1932, the Tennessee Valley Authority Act was signed into law on February 18. This federally-funded program aimed to provide electricity and other infrastructure to rural communities in the Tennessee Valley region, bringing modernization and economic growth to the area.
4. On February 18, 1978, Elvis Presley's iconic mansion Graceland opened its doors to the public as a museum. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Tennessee, attracting over 600,000 visitors annually.
5. In 2008, the first day of early voting for the Presidential primary elections was held in Tennessee on February 18. This marked the beginning of a heated political season, as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton vied for the Democratic nomination and John McCain emerged as the Republican candidate.