1. On August 7, 1959, Alaska became the 49th state in the United States of America after President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act into law. This act enabled Alaska to gain statehood and became an essential part of the country.

2. The Iditarod National Historic Trail, a 2,400-kilometer-long trail, served as a vital transportation route for mushers and their dogs, gold seekers, and travelers from 1908 to the 1920s. On August 7, 1978, the Iditarod Trail became a National Historic Trail, recognizing its value to Alaska's history and culture.

3. August 7 saw many significant events in the aviation history of Alaska. In 1935, the first flight to St. Lawrence Island took place, connecting the Pribilof Islands to the mainland. In 1938, Alaska Airlines was established, becoming the fifth largest carrier in the United States.

4. Alaska's rich fishing industry is a significant economic contributor to the state. On August 7, 1915, President Woodrow Wilson approved the treaty that regulated salmon fishing near the Canada-United States border, protecting the sustainable fishing industry for future generations.

5. The Arctic explorer and scientist Vilhjalmur Stefansson was born on August 7, 1879, in Manitoba, Canada. He spent much of his adult life studying and exploring the Arctic, becoming an authority on Inuit culture, anthropology, and linguistics. His work gave great insight into Arctic exploration and offered new perspectives on the place and people that live there.