1. In 1877, a group of miners discovered the famous Homestake Gold Mine in Lead, South Dakota, which became one of the largest gold mines in the world. The mine operated until 2002, producing over 40 million ounces of gold.

2. On February 20, 1889, South Dakota was admitted as the 40th state of the United States. The state’s official nickname is “The Mount Rushmore State” due to its iconic national monument.

3. In 1930, the town of Murdo, South Dakota, experienced a massive snowstorm that killed 20 people and trapped thousands of others. The National Guard was called in to help with rescue efforts, and it took weeks for the town to recover.

4. On February 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, making three orbits in his spacecraft. Glenn was born in Cambridge, Ohio, but attended college at Muskingum University in New Concord, South Dakota.

5. In 2007, the University of South Dakota’s men’s basketball team won their first-ever Summit League Championship title on February 20, earning a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. The Coyotes were seeded 14th and lost in the first round to eventual champions Florida.