1. In 1838, Iowa Territory's first election was held, with William B. Conway being elected as the first territorial delegate to the US Congress.

2. On December 5, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state of the United States. It was admitted as a free state, meaning slavery was outlawed, and Iowa was also the first state to have a female attorney general, Mabel Walker Willebrandt, in 1924.

3. In 1851, the first official fair in Iowa was held in Fairfield. This fair is considered a predecessor of the Iowa State Fair, which was established in 1854 and is now the largest event in Iowa, attracting over 1 million visitors annually.

4. In 1924, the birthplace of US President Herbert Hoover in West Branch was designated as a National Historic Site. Today, the site includes the Presidential Library and Museum, as well as a restored version of Hoover's birthplace cottage.

5. In 1985, a major fire broke out at the Hotel Savery in downtown Des Moines, causing extensive damage to the historic building. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, and the hotel was eventually restored and reopened in 2001.