1. On August 3, 1912, the Mount Katmai volcano erupted, sending ash and steam up to 100,000 feet in the air. The eruption lasted for 60 hours and is considered one of the largest volcanic events of the 20th century.

2. August 3, 1958, marked the first day of the construction of the Alaska Highway, which runs from British Columbia to Alaska. The 1,523-mile highway was built in just eight months and is considered an engineering marvel.

3. In 1963, on August 3, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 struck the city of Anchorage. Although the quake was relatively small, it caused significant damage to buildings and roads.

4. August 3, 1988, was the first day of the summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea. Alaska native, Elizabeth "Libby" Riddles, became the first woman to win the Iditarod dog sled race earlier that year and was chosen to carry the Olympic torch for the state of Alaska.

5. On August 3, 2005, the first commercial cruise ship sailed through the Northwest Passage, which is a sea route that runs through the Arctic Ocean. The Crystal Serenity travelled from Seward, Alaska to New York City and was the largest ship ever to traverse the passage.