1. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act into law, making Alaska the 49th state in the United States. However, it wasn't until January 3, 1959 that Alaska officially became a state.

2. On July 7, 1971, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was signed into law by President Richard Nixon. The act provided for the settlement of Native land claims in Alaska and established a $962.5 million fund to compensate Alaska Natives for the loss of their traditional lands.

3. In 1982, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was completed, after years of construction through rugged terrain and harsh weather conditions. The pipeline, which spans 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, is still in operation today and is responsible for transporting millions of barrels of oil per day.

4. On July 7, 2007, the town of Utqiagvik (formerly known as Barrow) experienced a 24-hour period without any sunlight. This phenomenon, known as polar night, occurs in the northernmost parts of Alaska during the winter months when the sun never rises above the horizon.

5. In 2019, Alaska experienced one of its hottest summers on record, with temperatures reaching the high 80s and even low 90s in some parts of the state. This heat wave led to a number of brush fires and other environmental concerns, highlighting the growing impact of climate change on the region.