1. In 1910, the first legal execution in Alaska took place in Juneau. A man named Jack Dalton was hanged for his involvement in a shoot-out that killed two deputy marshals.

2. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound. The tanker spilled over 11 million gallons of crude oil, devastating the environment and wildlife in the area.

3. In 1942, during World War II, the Aleutian Islands Campaign began. Japanese forces invaded and occupied the islands of Attu and Kiska, which were then part of the Territory of Alaska.

4. In 1964, Alaska experienced the second-largest earthquake ever recorded, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale. The quake caused massive destruction and a deadly tsunami that killed dozens of people.

5. In 1981, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race began in Anchorage. The rugged 1,000-mile race through Alaska’s wilderness is now considered one of the most challenging sporting events in the world.