1. In 1865, Mary Ann Bickerdyke, a Civil War nurse from Galesburg, received a commission as a "Matron in the Service of the United States" for her meritorious service during the war. She later became the first woman to be buried with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

2. In 1913, the Illinois State Board of Education was created to oversee the state's public school system. At the time, Illinois was the first state to create such a board, which is still in existence today and is responsible for setting standards, administering grants, and overseeing teacher certification.

3. In 1921, the first public radio station in Illinois, WEAA in Chicago, began broadcasting. The station was also one of the first in the country to offer regular programming and helped pave the way for the development of public broadcasting.

4. In 1954, the Chicago White Sox played their first game at Comiskey Park, which had been rebuilt after a fire destroyed the original stadium in 1949. The new stadium, which had a capacity of over 50,000, was one of the largest in the country and remained the home of the White Sox until it was replaced in 1991.

5. In 1985, the Chicago Bears signed quarterback Jim McMahon to a contract extension, ensuring that he would remain with the team for the foreseeable future. McMahon was a key player in the Bears' historic Super Bowl victory the following year and remains an iconic figure in Chicago sports history.