1. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous kite experiment in Philadelphia, proving that lightning was a form of electricity.

2. On May 3, 1877, a devastating tornado swept through the town of New Richmond in southwestern Pennsylvania, killing 19 people and causing widespread damage.

3. In 1963, the May 3 tornado outbreak tore through parts of Pennsylvania, causing extensive damage and claiming over 40 lives.

4. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company was established on May 3, 1846, with the merger of several smaller railroad companies. The company went on to become one of the largest railroad systems in the world.

5. On May 3, 1947, the Braden Air Crash occurred near Allentown, Pennsylvania, killing all 20 people on board. The crash was the deadliest aviation accident in American history up to that point.