1. On June 22, 1867, the Union Pacific Railroad reached Omaha, Nebraska, completing the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. This opened up the western frontier and greatly accelerated settlement of Nebraska and other western states.

2. In 1933, a major tornado outbreak struck Nebraska and several other states, spawning at least 21 tornadoes and causing widespread damage and loss of life. The town of Humboldt, Nebraska was hit particularly hard, with 29 fatalities and more than 100 injuries.

3. On June 22, 1944, the small town of Mitchell, Nebraska was the site of a dramatic rescue mission by American fighter pilots during World War II. The pilots landed their damaged planes in a cornfield to avoid crashing into the town and were all rescued by local residents.

4. In 1978, Omaha, Nebraska hosted the World Series of Poker for the first time, introducing the world to the game of Texas hold 'em and setting off a boom in the popularity of poker in the United States.

5. On June 22, 2002, the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team unveiled a 380-pound statue of their beloved mascot, Herbie Husker, on the University of Nebraska's Memorial Stadium Plaza. The statue quickly became a landmark and symbol of the university and the state.