1. L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," was born on June 7, 1856, in Chittenango, New York. Though he did not spend his whole life in Kansas, the state served as inspiration for the setting of his famous children's book.

2. On June 7, 1822, Fort Leavenworth was established by Colonel Henry Leavenworth. Today, it is the oldest active Army post west of the Mississippi River, and serves as the headquarters of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center.

3. Kansas became a state on January 29, 1861, but it was not until June 7 of that year that it officially joined the Union. This occurred just before the start of the Civil War, and Kansas played a key role in the conflict as a "free state" opposed to slavery.

4. On June 7, 1907, Dwight D. Eisenhower graduated from Abilene High School in Abilene, Kansas. He would go on to serve as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961.

5. The first flight of a B-29 Superfortress bomber occurred on June 7, 1942, at the Wichita, Kansas plant of Boeing Aircraft. The B-29 would become a key strategic bomber for the United States during World War II, and was also used during the Korean War.