1. Tennessee became a state on October 3, 1796, making it the 16th state to join the Union. The state was originally part of North Carolina, but was granted statehood after becoming a territory in 1790.

2. On October 3, 1863, the Battle of Blountville took place in Sullivan County during the Civil War. Union forces led by General Alvan C. Gillem were able to gain control of East Tennessee and prevent Confederate troops from advancing.

3. In 1925, the Scopes Monkey Trial ended on October 3 with the conviction of John T. Scopes for teaching evolution in a public school in Dayton, Tennessee. This trial gained national attention and became a symbol of the tension between science and religion in American society.

4. The Tennessee Titans won their first game in Nissan Stadium on October 3, 1999, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 36-35. This was a historic moment for the newly named team, which had relocated to Tennessee from Houston just three years prior.

5. In 2015, October 3 was declared as "Knoxville Opera Day" by Mayor Madeline Rogero in honor of the organization's 40th anniversary. The Knoxville Opera is one of the oldest and most respected opera companies in the southeastern United States.