1. In 1857, the first recorded train robbery in U.S. history occurred in Iowa. A group of bandits boarded an Ohio & Mississippi train near Fairfield and stole over $100,000.

2. On March 12, 1925, Iowa governor John Hammill signed a bill legalizing the sale and use of contraceptive devices in the state. Iowa was the first state to do so.

3. In 1933, the great Iowa flood began on March 12, when heavy rains and snowmelt caused the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to overflow their banks. The flood affected several Midwestern states and caused over $300 million in damages.

4. On March 12, 1945, a B-24 bomber crashed into the town of Clarinda, Iowa, killing all 13 crew members and 2 civilians on the ground.

5. In 1980, the Iowa State Wrestling Championships were held on March 12 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines. Future Olympic gold medalist Dan Gable was in attendance as a coach, and his team from the University of Iowa won the team championship.