1. On June 22, 1865, Union General Thomas J. Henderson, who had served as a lieutenant colonel during the Civil War, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois.

2. In 1893, the World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, opened to the public. The fair was held to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World and was one of the largest events in Chicago's history.

3. June 22, 1911, saw the first non-stop flight from Chicago to New York City. Pilot Robert G. Fowler completed the flight in just over ten hours, flying a Wright biplane.

4. On June 22, 1939, a massive tornado, over a mile wide, swept through the town of Mt. Vernon in southern Illinois, killing 26 people and destroying scores of homes and businesses. The tornado was one of the deadliest in Illinois history.

5. June 22, 1950, marked the beginning of the Korean War. Illinois played a significant role in the war effort, with more than 300,000 Illinoisans serving in the armed forces during the conflict.