1. The first recorded instance of snowfall in Illinois occurred on January 6, 1779. French explorer Jean Baptiste Point du Sable noted the event in his diary while settling at the mouth of the Chicago River.

2. On January 6, 1837, one of the worst winter storms in Illinois history struck. Known as the "Deep Snow," it lasted for 60 days and left drifts as high as 25 feet. Many settlers were unable to leave their homes for weeks.

3. Just two years after Illinois became a state in 1818, the first meeting of the General Assembly was held on January 6, 1820, in Vandalia. This led to the establishment of laws and policies that helped shape the state.

4. In 1915, the Illinois Wesleyan University basketball team played and won an incredible seven games in just four days, all on the week of January 6. They became known as the "Iron Titans" and the feat still holds the record for the most games played in the shortest amount of time.

5. The Great Mississippi Flood of 1937 reached its peak on January 6, submerging nearly 27,000 square miles of land in Illinois and other states. Over 800,000 people were displaced and it's considered one of the worst floods in U.S. history.