1. On December 16, 1837, Arkansas became the 25th state to join the United States of America. Prior to this, Arkansas was part of the Louisiana Purchase and then the Missouri Territory before eventually gaining statehood.
2. In 1912, the Arkansas State Capitol building was completed on December 16th. It was designed by prominent architect Cass Gilbert and is still in use today as the seat of government in Arkansas.
3. On December 16, 1948, the University of Arkansas football team won the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, defeating the University of Georgia 20-6. This was the Razorbacks' first bowl victory in school history and helped establish the program as a national power.
4. In 1971, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program was established on December 16th. This organization works to preserve and restore historic buildings and other landmarks throughout the state.
5. On December 16, 2015, a tornado outbreak struck the southern United States, including parts of Arkansas. At least three tornadoes touched down in Arkansas, causing significant damage. This was part of a larger outbreak that affected several states and resulted in at least 15 deaths.