1. Nebraska became a state on May 17, 1867. Prior to its statehood, Nebraska was a territory and was known as the Nebraska Territory. It was named after the Platte River, which flows through the state.

2. On May 17, 1934, the American Legion dedicated a memorial in Kearney, Nebraska, in honor of the World War I soldiers who were from the local area. The monument was designed by sculptor Ellis P. Bankston and features a statue of a doughboy, the nickname given to American infantrymen during World War I.

3. The Nebraska State Capitol was completed on May 17, 1932. The building, which was designed by architect Bertram Goodhue, is considered to be one of the finest state capitol buildings in the United States. It features a 400-foot tower and numerous murals and sculptures.

4. On May 17, 1915, a deadly tornado hit the town of Chester, Nebraska. The tornado was part of a larger outbreak of tornadoes that swept across the central United States, killing more than 100 people. In Chester, the tornado damaged or destroyed nearly every building in town, killing 13 people.

5. The Nebraska-Kearney Lopers won the NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship on May 17, 2013. The Lopers defeated the Tampa Spartans in three sets to win their first-ever national championship. The team was led by head coach Rick Squiers, who was named the Division II National Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.