1. Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. However, it wasn't until January 1, 1819, that the first Illinois General Assembly convened in Kaskaskia, the state's first capital.

2. One famous New Year's Day in Illinois history was January 1, 1900. On that day, the Chicago Union Stockyards opened their doors for business. The Stockyards were once the largest livestock market in the world and played a major role in Chicago's economy for nearly a century.

3. On January 1, 1959, the first toll road in Illinois opened to the public. The Illinois Tollway System was created to improve transportation infrastructure in the state and is still in operation today.

4. January 1, 2013, marked the day that Illinois became the 20th state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage. The law went into effect on that day after being signed by Governor Pat Quinn the previous year.

5. One of the most memorable January 1sts in Illinois history was January 1, 2000. On that day, the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings in an outdoor game at Soldier Field. It was the first NHL outdoor game in history and drew a crowd of over 65,000 people.