1. Indiana's first gubernatorial election was held on August 31, 1816. Nineteen counties comprising the state's original area were eligible to vote for the state's first governor, Jonathan Jennings.

2. On August 31, 1900, the University of Notre Dame's football program played its first game. The Fighting Irish defeated Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) by a score of 17-0.

3. Beloved Hoosier author Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis on August 31, 1922. Vonnegut's works, such as "Slaughterhouse-Five" and "Cat's Cradle," are celebrated for their satire and social commentary.

4. Inaugurated in 1852, the Indiana State Fair moved to its current location on East 38th Street and Fall Creek Parkway in Indianapolis in 1892. The fair typically runs from the first Friday in August through the following Sunday, making August 31 the penultimate day of the event.

5. On August 31, 1967, a traffic accident on I-65 outside of Indianapolis claimed the lives of ten people. The crash occurred when a tractor-trailer failed to negotiate a turn and struck an oncoming bus carrying 31 passengers. The tragic accident served as a catalyst for the federally mandated installation of black-box data recorders in commercial vehicles.