1. On August 31, 1888, the State Normal School in Plymouth, now Plymouth State University, opened its doors for the first time. The school offered teacher training and education degrees, and it quickly grew in popularity and size.

2. On August 31, 1938, the famous hurricane known as the "Long Island Express" made landfall in New Hampshire. The storm caused widespread damage and devastation, including over 500 deaths across multiple states.

3. In 1954, August 31 marked the day that the iconic Mt. Washington Cog Railway celebrated its centennial anniversary. The railway is the world's first mountain-climbing cog railway, and it has been in operation since 1868.

4. On August 31, 1973, the Dartmouth Outing Club completed the first full-length traverse of the Presidential Range in the White Mountains. The group hiked a total of 23 miles over the course of a single day, taking in some of the most stunning views in the region.

5. Finally, in 1997, August 31 marked the day that the New Hampshire State House celebrated its bicentennial anniversary. The building, which is the oldest state capitol in the country still in use, has been the setting for some of the state's most important legislative decisions for over 200 years.