1) In 1931, Memphis hosted the first World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, which is now known as the Memphis in May International Festival. The contest is one of the largest barbecue cooking competitions in the world and draws thousands of visitors annually.

2) Tennessee became the 16th state to join the Union on July 18, 1796. It was the first state formed out of territory west of the Appalachian Mountains and helped to expand both the United States' territorial and political boundaries.

3) Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, the longest-running radio broadcast in the country, made its debut on July 18, 1925. Initially named the WSM Barn Dance, the show helped to popularize country music across the United States.

4) The Battle of Fort Donelson began on February 13, 1862, but it was on July 18 of that year that the Union Army officially took control of the Confederate stronghold. The victory helped to secure Tennessee for the Union and gave the North a strategic advantage in the Western theater of the Civil War.

5) On July 18, 1923, legendary Tennessee politician Davy Crockett was honored with a monument on the state Capitol grounds in Nashville. Crockett, who served as a U.S. Congressman from Tennessee, gained fame for his bravery during the defense of the Alamo in Texas in 1836.