February 16 in History

After ten days of heavy rain, the village of Guinsaugon on Leyte island was buried under 30 feet of mud. Only 57 of the 1,857 residents survived the d... see more

In one of the most dramatic incidents, three protesters died during a siege at the Israeli consulate in Berlin. The coordinated protests highlighted i... see more

The first call was made in Haleyville, Alabama, establishing a nationwide standard for emergency services. Before this, Americans had to remember diff... see more

This victory was the first of five consecutive national titles for Fleming. She would go on to win Olympic gold in 1968, becoming one of America's mos... see more

Though short-lived, this variety show pioneered the late-night format that would eventually become The Tonight Show. It introduced many conventions st... see more

This revolutionary synthetic fiber would transform the textile industry and eventually lead to the famous nylon stocking craze. The patent for "synthe... see more

In a bold move during World War I, Lithuania's Council declared the restoration of an independent state with Vilnius as its capital. The declaration c... see more

In what Lord Nelson called "the most bold and daring act of the age," American sailors snuck into an enemy harbor and destroyed their own captured fri... see more

Nicholas Vanacker drew the check on his account at Clayton and Morris, bankers in London. This revolutionary piece of paper changed commerce forever,... see more

As Martin Luther's closest collaborator, Melanchthon became known as "the Teacher of Germany" and authored the Augsburg Confession. Despite his profou... see more