1. In 1957, the largest hailstone ever recorded in the United States fell near the town of Vivian, South Dakota. The hailstone measured 8 inches in diameter and weighed over 1.5 pounds.
2. On August 5, 1914, the first train crossed the newly completed railroad bridge over the Missouri River in Mobridge, South Dakota, connecting eastern and western South Dakota for the first time.
3. In 1937, the Black Hills Passion Play, a popular religious drama depicting the last days of Jesus Christ, premiered in Spearfish, South Dakota on August 5th. The play has been performed annually ever since.
4. On August 5, 1989, South Dakota Governor George S. Mickelson signed a bill establishing the South Dakota State Historical Society Foundation, which supports historical preservation efforts in the state.
5. On August 5, 1961, the second annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally began in Sturgis, South Dakota. The event has since become the world's largest gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts, attracting hundreds of thousands of people to the Black Hills region each year.