1. In 1874, the University of Illinois was officially established with the signing of the Industrial University Act by Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby. The institution, which began as a small agricultural college, has since grown into a world-renowned research university with a diverse student body.

2. In 1921, the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill creating the Illinois State Police, the first statewide law enforcement agency in the United States. The force was initially tasked with enforcing the state's prohibition laws, but has since expanded its duties to include investigation of major crimes and highway patrol.

3. On April 8, 1930, Chicago radio station WGN broadcast the first-ever televised baseball game. The game between the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies was not broadcast on TV, but its radio broadcast was synchronized with a telegraph wire that sent signals to a transmitter in Illinois, which then broadcast the game to a small number of experimental television sets in the Chicago area.

4. On this day in 1974, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Illinois State Dental Society was celebrated in Springfield. The society, which was established in 1874, has grown to become one of the largest and most influential dental organizations in the country.

5. Finally, in 1998, the Illinois National Guard was called into action to help deal with widespread flooding in the state. More than 5,000 guardsmen were mobilized to help with evacuation, rescue, and relief efforts in affected areas. The flooding was caused by heavy rains and snowmelt, and resulted in over $1 billion in damages.