1. The first recorded land sale in Iowa occurred on December 23, 1836. The sale took place in Burlington and the land was sold by the government to private individuals for the first time in Iowa history.

2. Iowa Governor William Larrabee was born on December 23, 1832, in Ledyard, Connecticut. Larrabee served as Iowa's governor from 1886-1890 and was known for his progressive policies, including his support for the state's first antitrust law.

3. On December 23, 1942, the Sioux City Ordnance Plant began production of ammunition and other military supplies for the U.S. Army during World War II. The plant was one of the largest war production facilities in Iowa, employing over 17,000 workers at its peak.

4. Iowa State University's Jack Trice Stadium was dedicated on December 23, 1975. The stadium is named after Jack Trice, the first African American football player at Iowa State, who died from injuries sustained during a game in 1923.

5. The USS Iowa Battleship, which was decommissioned in 1990, is now a museum ship docked in San Pedro, California. The ship was built at the New York Navy Yard and launched on December 23, 1942, during World War II. Iowa is the only U.S. battleship with a bathtub and a swimming pool.