1. In 1843, Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of President Abraham Lincoln, was born in Lexington, Kentucky. She later became the First Lady of the United States during the Civil War.

2. On December 18, 1878, the first electric streetlights in the United States were installed in Louisville, Kentucky. This was a major technological achievement that revolutionized the way cities were lit at night.

3. In 1932, the famous Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant franchise was founded by Harland Sanders, a Kentucky native who specialized in cooking fried chicken. Today, KFC is one of the most recognizable fast food chains in the world.

4. On December 18, 1944, the Battle of the Bulge began during World War II. Kentucky soldiers played a key role in this battle, which was one of the most important engagements of the war.

5. In 1971, the University of Kentucky became the first college to host a successful artificial heart transplant. The patient, a retired telephone operator, lived for 64 hours with the artificial heart before passing away due to complications. This was a major milestone in the field of medical technology.