1. The Battle of Cowan's Ford: On January 6, 1781, a pivotal battle of the American Revolution took place at Cowan's Ford, located on the Catawba River in present-day Mecklenburg County. American forces, led by General William Lee Davidson, engaged with British troops led by General Charles Cornwallis. Though the Americans ultimately lost the battle, they delayed the British advance and inflicted significant casualties.

2. North Carolina becomes a state: January 6, 1789, was also the date that North Carolina officially became the 12th state to join the United States. This followed the state's ratification of the U.S. Constitution on November 21, 1789.

3. Weather extremes: North Carolina has experienced extreme weather events on January 6th. In 1988, the state recorded its coldest temperature ever, with a reading of -34 degrees Fahrenheit recorded at Mount Mitchell. In contrast, temperatures reached a record high of 80 degrees Fahrenheit in Fayetteville on January 6, 2007.

4. The Great Blizzard of 1996: On January 6 of that year, a major snowstorm hit the Southeastern United States, including North Carolina. The blizzard dumped a record-breaking 20 inches of snow on Raleigh, which caused widespread travel disruption and power outages.

5. First African American Governor: In 2009, on January 6, Beverly Perdue was sworn in as the first female governor of North Carolina and the first African American woman to serve as governor in the United States. Perdue served as governor from 2009 to 2013.