1. On April 24, 1806, the first American steamboat, the Phoenix, made its maiden voyage on the Delaware River, starting a revolution in river transportation that would reshape commerce and trade in New Jersey and the entire country.

2. In 1913, the famous Wilberforce University Gospel Choir performed at the Shiloh Baptist Church in Plainfield, marking a milestone in the African American musical tradition that has continued to thrive in New Jersey's cities and suburbs.

3. On April 24, 1959, the first commercial jet airliner, the Boeing 707, made its inaugural transatlantic flight from New York to Paris, ushering in a new era of international travel that has made New Jersey's airports among the busiest and most important in the world.

4. In 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated in New Jersey and across the nation, inspiring awareness and action to protect the environment and natural resources that are vital to the state's economy, health, and quality of life.

5. On April 24, 1985, New Jersey's state bird, the Eastern Goldfinch, was designated as the official state bird, joining a proud list of state symbols that also includes the red oak tree, the honeybee, and the bog turtle.