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Old clock in sand with the words: It Happend in August

View Historical Events by Day: What Happened on August 16 in History?

Explore the historical events that shaped our world on August 16th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.

1858 CE, August 16

The first successful transatlantic telegraph line is completed. Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom sends a telegraph to U.S. President James Buchanan. Near-instantaneous communication between Europe and North America. Become a reality.

1896 CE, August 16

Gold was discovered in Rabbit Creek, a tributary of the Klondike River in Canada's Yukon Territory, resulting in the Great Klondike Gold Rush. More

1987 CE, August 16

A DC-9 Super 82 on Northwest Flight 255 crashes minutes aftertakeoff at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Michigan. The flight was headed to California with a Phoenix stopover. A four-year-old girl was the sole survivor of the accident,156 people died. The crash was caused by pilot error. More

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