1. In 1925, the University of Wisconsin established the first Department of Genetics in the United States, led by pioneering geneticist A.H. Sturtevant. The department went on to become one of the preeminent genetics institutions in the world.

2. On February 17, 1863, the state of Wisconsin issued a new design for its banknotes, featuring an image of the state capitol building in Madison. These notes remained in circulation until the 1920s.

3. In 1854, the first issue of the Wisconsin Free Democrat, a newspaper published by anti-slavery activists, was printed. The paper played a significant role in the state's political landscape and helped to fuel the abolitionist movement.

4. In 1934, Wisconsin senator Robert La Follette Jr. introduced a bill to Congress calling for the establishment of a federal minimum wage law. Although the bill did not pass at the time, it would later become a central part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies.

5. On February 17, 1999, Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson signed a bill legalizing the medicinal use of marijuana in the state. The law stipulated that patients with certain specified medical conditions could use marijuana to alleviate their symptoms, with appropriate medical supervision.