1. In 1883, the Northern Pacific Railway completed its line through Bismarck, North Dakota. This helped to further connect the state's capital with the rest of the country and promote economic growth.

2. On December 16, 1890, the infamous Wounded Knee Massacre occurred on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, near the North Dakota border. The massacre resulted in the deaths of approximately 300 Lakota Sioux, many of them women and children, and is a dark moment in both North Dakota and American history.

3. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act, which helped to bring electricity to rural areas across the country, including in North Dakota. This greatly improved the daily lives of many North Dakotans who previously had no access to electric power.

4. On December 16, 1987, heavy snow and gusty winds caused a huge pile-up on Interstate 94 near Jamestown, North Dakota. The accident involved 100 vehicles and resulted in one fatality and dozens of injuries. It remains one of the most devastating accidents in North Dakota's recent history.

5. December 16, 2002, marked the opening of the Grand Forks Public Library's new building. The library had been destroyed in a devastating 1997 flood, and its rebuilding was seen as a symbol of the community's resilience and determination. The new building is still a beloved landmark in Grand Forks today.