1) Wyoming became the 44th state of the United States on January 1, 1890. Prior to this, it had been a territory for over 20 years.
2) On January 1, 1902, the first coal mine safety laws in the United States were enacted in Wyoming, following a series of deadly mine accidents in the state.
3) In 1966, the first bowl game in Wyoming history was played on January 1. The Cowboys of the University of Wyoming defeated Florida State in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
4) On January 1, 1934, the Tri-State Tornado, which was one of the deadliest tornadoes in American history, touched down in Wyoming. It caused significant damage in the towns of Cheyenne and Pine Bluffs.
5) Wyoming native Nellie Tayloe Ross became the first woman to serve as governor of a US state on January 1, 1925. She had been elected to the position following the death of her husband, William B. Ross.