1. Arkansas became a state on January 1, 1836. After five years as a territory, Arkansas was granted statehood as the 25th state in the U.S.

2. On January 1, 1943, the Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the William & Mary Tribe 21-19 in the Orange Bowl. This was the first major bowl victory for the Razorbacks football team and marked a turning point for the program.

3. January 1, 1958 saw the opening of the world's largest integrated stainless steel mill in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The mill was 70 acres in size and employed over 2,200 workers.

4. The Arkansas state sales tax was increased from 2% to 3% on January 1, 1967. This increase helped fund a variety of public projects, including schools and highways.

5. In 2008, a new Arkansas law went into effect which prohibited smoking in all enclosed public places, including restaurants and bars. This marked a significant change in the state's smoking laws and was intended to promote public health and reduce the risk of secondhand smoke exposure.