1. On October 16, 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt visited Little Rock, Arkansas, as part of a nationwide tour of the United States. During his visit, he spoke to a crowd of over 20,000 people at the state capitol building.

2. In 1986, the Arkansas State Supreme Court upheld the state's ban on gay marriage on October 16. It wasn't until over 25 years later, in 2014, that same-sex couples were allowed to legally marry in Arkansas.

3. October 16, 1927, marked the beginning of the construction of the Fourche Dam in Little Rock. The dam provided flood control for the city and created a reservoir that is still used for recreation today.

4. On this day in 1959, the University of Arkansas admitted its first African-American student, Silas Hunt. Hunt was a veteran of World War II and had previously been denied admission due to his race.

5. October 16, 1915, saw the birth of Arkansas native and iconic musician, William "Smokey" Montgomery. Montgomery was a fiddler and founding member of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, a popular country-rock band of the 1970s.