1. The first recorded snowfall in Indianapolis occurred on December 1, 1880. This event marked the beginning of what would become a long winter of heavy snowfall, with accumulations topping 20 inches in some areas.

2. December 1, 1929 saw the opening of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's first winter auto race. The event, dubbed the "Hoosier Hundred," was won by driver Bill Cummings in his Duesenberg.

3. On December 1, 1955, the first McDonald's franchise in Indiana opened in Gary. The restaurant, owned by Neil Fox, was one of only a handful of locations in the entire country at the time.

4. In 1972, a plane crash near Evansville claimed the lives of 29 members of the University of Evansville men's basketball team and coaching staff. December 1 is now observed as a day of remembrance for the tragedy.

5. December 1, 1995 marked the day Indiana's "Megan's Law" went into effect. The law requires convicted sex offenders to register with law enforcement and provides for public notification of their presence in communities.