1. Wisconsin officially became a state on December 31, 1848. This followed a lengthy process involving multiple constitutional conventions and debates over important issues such as slavery.

2. In 1971, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Minnesota Vikings on December 31 to clinch their division and advance to the NFL playoffs. This game has gone down in history as the "Mud Bowl" due to the wet and muddy conditions on the field.

3. On December 31, 1879, the Milwaukee Sentinel reported on a local story that would soon become national news: Thomas Edison had successfully tested his electric light bulb. The article noted that the bulb could "be almost as easily managed as gas."

4. The final piece of steel was placed on the Milwaukee Art Museum's iconic Quadracci Pavilion on December 31, 2000, completing the first major addition to the museum in over 25 years. The pavilion, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, is now considered one of the city's most recognizable landmarks.

5. On New Year's Eve in 1944, a tragic nightclub fire in Oshkosh, Wisconsin claimed the lives of 15 people and injured many more. The fire was caused by a discarded cigarette and quickly spread due to the venue's decorative materials and lack of fire safety precautions. The tragedy led to important changes in fire safety laws and regulations across the country.