1. On April 16, 1862, the Battle of Fort Pillow, which was part of the American Civil War, began in Tennessee. Many soldiers from Virginia fought in this battle, including the 13th Virginia Infantry Regiment.

2. In 1771, the Virginia House of Burgesses passed a resolution condemning the British Parliament's taxation policies. This was one of many steps taken leading up to the American Revolution.

3. On April 16, 1973, the final episode of the television series "The Waltons" aired. The show was set in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains during the Great Depression and was based on the life of author Earl Hamner Jr., who grew up in the area.

4. On this day in 1856, Norfolk and Portsmouth suffered a massive fire that destroyed much of the downtown areas. Although the cause of the fire is unknown, it is believed to have started on a steamship moored in the harbor.

5. In 1938, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Virginia Reservoir Act, which authorized the construction of dams and reservoirs throughout the state. This legislation was aimed at improving water supply and flood control in Virginia's many river systems.