1. In 1862, Wilmington, North Carolina was the site of the largest amphibious assault up to that point in American history. Union troops under Major General Benjamin Butler attempted to take the city and its important port, but were ultimately unsuccessful.

2. On December 28, 1917, the state's first radio station, WBT, began broadcasting. It was also one of the first radio stations in the country to broadcast a regular schedule of programs.

3. In 1973, the state's second-largest city, Greensboro, experienced a tragic event known as the Greensboro Massacre. Five protesters were shot and killed by members of the Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party during a demonstration against the city's racial segregation policies.

4. On December 28, 1987, a winter storm hit the state, causing widespread power outages and significant damage. The storm was particularly devastating to the coastal areas, where winds gusts of up to 100 miles per hour were recorded.

5. In 2010, the state's first major snowstorm of the winter season hit the western part of the state. Some areas received over a foot of snow, leading to school closures and dangerous road conditions.