A Look at Leap Day

Welcome to Leap Day 2016! Once every four years this bonus day comes around to keep our calendar from sliding into chaos. For decades newspapers have captured snippets of these days and printed them into history, which we can now conveniently peruse. Just a few of these clippings are found below. (Click on the images to see larger versions on the Newspapers.com website.)

For some good old Leap Year history as told by writers in 1916, check out this page.

Wondering what good an extra day can do? Check out this clipping, complete with references that are so 2008. (Ironically this year’s leap day is, in fact, a Monday. Some may want to add that to the cons!)

If you’re curious about Leap Day superstitions of yore, take a look through this list, published in 1912. If you’re a bachelor, you might want to take a few notes—apparently there’s a lot you have to worry about.

Think you’re an expert on all things that leap? Try this leap-tastic quiz and see how you fare. (Answers can be found here.)

If you’re curious about what other articles can be found about this rare holiday, try a search on Newspapers.com. Happy Leap Day!