1. In 1839, the South Carolina Medical College was founded in Charleston. It was the first medical college in the southern United States and remains one of the oldest surviving medical schools in the country.

2. On January 26, 1956, the first televised weather report in South Carolina was broadcast by WCSC-TV in Charleston. The station's meteorologist, Charlie Hall, gave the report, which included a map of the state with temperature readings from various cities.

3. The South Carolina State Museum opened its doors on January 26, 1988. It is located in Columbia and features exhibits on the state's history, art, and culture, as well as a planetarium and observatory.

4. The Port Royal Experiment began on January 26, 1862. This was a social experiment during the Civil War in which newly liberated slaves were given the opportunity to work and live independently on a Union-controlled island off the coast of South Carolina.

5. On January 26, 1777, Francis Marion, also known as the "Swamp Fox," became a lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army. Marion was a guerrilla fighter who led a group of patriot soldiers in hit-and-run attacks against British troops in South Carolina during the Revolutionary War.