1. In 1844, the Indiana State Normal School (now Indiana State University) was established in Terre Haute. It was the first state-supported teachers college in the United States west of the Allegheny Mountains.

2. On June 26, 1900, the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility was established in Bloomington. It became one of the first universities in the world to have a working cyclotron, a type of particle accelerator used in nuclear physics research.

3. In 1953, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted the first ever 500-mile race. The inaugural event was won by driver Bill Vukovich, who led for 195 of the 200 laps.

4. On June 26, 1965, the White River State Park Development Commission was established in Indianapolis. The commission was tasked with creating and maintaining the state's only urban state park, which now features museums, outdoor art, and scenic walking trails.

5. In 1994, the Indianapolis Zoo opened their largest exhibit at the time, the Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center. The center features a large outdoor habitat for the primates, as well as an indoor exhibit showcasing their intelligence and problem-solving skills.