1. On January 15, 1862, the Dakota War of 1862 officially ended with the execution of 38 Dakota men in Mankato, Minnesota. The conflict, which lasted for six weeks and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of settlers and Native Americans, remains a controversial topic in Minnesota history.

2. January 15, 1919, is known as the day of the Great Molasses Flood in Minnesota. A storage tank holding over 2 million gallons of molasses in Minneapolis ruptured, causing a massive wave of molasses to flood the streets and causing widespread destruction and 21 deaths.

3. In 1959, the first commercial flight from the Twin Cities to Tokyo, Japan, took off on January 15. Northwest Orient Airlines began operating the flights, which were the first nonstop flights from the Midwest to Asia.

4. On January 15, 1971, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joe Kapp led his team to a victory over the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship game. This remains the only time in Vikings history that they have won an NFL championship.

5. January 15, 1992, saw the beginning of the longest strike in U.S. history. Over 1,500 miners and their families went on strike against the Northshore Mining Company in northern Minnesota, leading to a six-year-long struggle that ultimately saw the company emerge victorious.