1. On January 17, 1849, the University of Wisconsin-Madison held its first classes. At the time, it was known as the University of Wisconsin, and it was the first public university in the state.

2. In 1893, Wisconsin native and future baseball legend Harry "The Hat" Walker was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Walker would go on to play for several teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies, and win two National League batting titles.

3. On January 17, 1920, Wisconsin became the first state to ratify the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. It was a major milestone in the women's suffrage movement.

4. In 1942, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's basketball team played its first game in the new Wisconsin Field House. The team beat Purdue 46-32 in front of 8,000 fans.

5. On January 17, 1987, the Green Bay Packers won their first playoff game since 1967, beating the Dallas Cowboys 21-17. The victory was widely credited with starting a resurgence in the franchise, which would go on to win two Super Bowls in the next decade.