1. Creation of South Dakota State University: On January 25, 1881, the Dakota Territorial Legislature passed an act creating South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. The first class had 84 students.

2. Construction of Mount Rushmore: On January 25, 1929, the construction of Mount Rushmore National Memorial began. The monument, which features the faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, took 14 years to complete and was finished in 1941.

3. Womens' Suffrage: January 25, 1890, South Dakota became the first state to grant women the right to vote, beating Wyoming by nearly a full year.

4. Establishment of Pioneer Auto Museum: On January 25, 1954, the Pioneer Auto Museum, located in Murdo, SD, was established. The museum houses a collection of over 250 unique and rare vehicles from the early 1900s to the present day.

5. Creation of Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge: On January 25, 1937, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established in Northeastern South Dakota. The 1,200-acre refuge provides critical habitat for migratory birds, including endangered species such as whooping cranes and piping plovers.