1. Tennessee became a state on Leap Day.
On February 29, 1796, Tennessee officially became the 16th state of the United States. This unique date in history makes it even more memorable.

2. The Great Train Wreck of 1916 occurred on Leap Day.
One of the deadliest train wrecks in U.S. history occurred in Nashville, Tennessee on February 29, 1916. Two passenger trains collided head-on, killing over 100 people and injuring hundreds more.

3. Tennessee celebrated its bicentennial on Leap Day.
On February 29, 1996, Tennessee celebrated its 200th anniversary as a state. Festivities were held throughout the state to commemorate the occasion.

4. The first racially integrated radio station in the South was founded on Leap Day.
In 1948, radio station WDIA in Memphis, Tennessee made history by becoming the first racially integrated radio station in the South. It was founded on February 29 of that year.

5. The longest filibuster in U.S. Senate history occurred on Leap Day.
On February 29, 2016, Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut launched a filibuster in the U.S. Senate to protest the lack of action on gun control legislation. It lasted for nearly 15 hours, becoming the longest filibuster in Senate history to date.