1. In 1918, the Spanish influenza pandemic reached its peak in Iowa, with more than 500 new cases reported in a single day on October 23. The pandemic ultimately claimed the lives of more than 6,000 Iowans.

2. On October 23, 1852, Susan B. Anthony visited the town of West Grove in southeast Iowa, where she spoke at a local courthouse about her campaign for women's suffrage. Anthony later went on to become one of the most prominent leaders of the women's rights movement in the United States.

3. In 1983, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the state's anti-discrimination laws applied to gay and lesbian employees. The decision, which was issued on October 23, was a groundbreaking victory for LGBT rights in Iowa and served as a model for similar rulings in other states.

4. On October 23, 1910, the first flight in Iowa history took place in the town of Fort Dodge. A local aviation pioneer named Frank Coffyn brought his Curtiss biplane to the town's fairgrounds and performed a series of daring maneuvers before a large crowd of onlookers.

5. In 1965, the town of Ottumwa became the first in Iowa to implement a system of fluoridated water. The move was controversial at the time, but has since been credited with significantly reducing rates of tooth decay and improving overall public health in the community.