1. On December 9, 1963, Huey Long's statue was unveiled in front of the Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge. The colorful, controversial governor and U.S. senator who was assassinated in 1935 is still a dominant figure in Louisiana politics.

2. Louisiana's Constitution Day, which commemorates the state's adoption of its first constitution in 1812, is observed on December 9. The Louisiana Purchase, which nearly doubled America's size and included Louisiana, was also signed on this date in 1803.

3. December 9, 1842, saw the launch of the first steamship to navigate the Red River from Shreveport to New Orleans, opening up a major transportation route for goods and people in northwestern Louisiana.

4. In 1987, the first phase of the Louisiana Superdome renovation was completed on December 9, adding 32 luxury suites and improving seating, concessions, and lighting at the iconic New Orleans sports and entertainment venue.

5. The Battle of Baton Rouge, a key Civil War conflict in which Confederate forces attempted to take control of the capital city on August 5, 1862, began on December 9 of that year. Union troops, aided by gunboats on the Mississippi River, ultimately repelled the Confederates and maintained control of Baton Rouge for the rest of the war.