1. In 1846, the U.S. Navy established a naval base on the Mississippi River in Algiers, Louisiana. The base served as an important staging point for ships and troops during the Civil War, and today it is still an active naval facility.

2. On June 16, 1937, a massive flood devastated most of the state of Louisiana. The flood was caused by heavy rains and the failure of levees along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, and it was one of the worst natural disasters in the state's history. Thousands of people were affected by the flood, and many lost their homes and belongings.

3. The Louisiana Purchase was signed on June 16, 1804. The purchase of Louisiana from France doubled the size of the United States and opened up vast new territories for exploration and settlement.

4. On June 16, 1940, the U.S. Army Air Corps established an airfield in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The airfield served as a training base for American pilots during World War II, and many of the pilots who trained there went on to fly in combat missions around the world.

5. In 1963, the first African American student was admitted to Tulane University in New Orleans. The student, Ruby Bridges, was just six years old at the time and had to be escorted to school by federal marshals due to threats from segregationists. Her bravery helped pave the way for desegregation in Louisiana and across the country.