1. In 1858, the first railroad line west of the Mississippi River was completed in Iowa, connecting Davenport and Council Bluffs. The line was a major contribution to the development and growth of the state's economy and transportation system.
2. In 1881, the famous outlaw Jesse James was shot and killed by Robert Ford in St. Joseph, Missouri. It was later discovered that James had stayed at a hotel in Council Bluffs before his death.
3. In 1938, the Iowa State Capitol building suffered significant damage from a fire that started in the attic. The fire caused nearly $500,000 in damages and led to the remodeling and renovation of the building over the following years.
4. In 1970, the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team defeated the University of Michigan Wolverines in what is now known as the "The Game of the Century." It was a close match, with the Hawkeyes winning 9-7 in front of a record-breaking crowd at Kinnick Stadium.
5. In 2006, Iowa native Shawn Johnson won the all-around gold medal in gymnastics at the World Championships in Denmark. Johnson would go on to win a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and become one of the most successful American gymnasts of all time.