1. In 1899, the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition opened in Seattle, Washington, which showcased Alaska's economy and resources to the nation.

2. In 1964, the Great Alaska Earthquake occurred, registering at a magnitude 9.2 and lasting four and a half minutes. It is the most powerful recorded earthquake in North American history.

3. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, releasing an estimated 11 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean and devastating the local ecosystem.

4. In 2003, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race began in Anchorage, Alaska, covering over 1000 miles of Alaska's wilderness and commemorating the historic Iditarod Trail used by Alaskan mushers in the early 1900s.

5. In 2019, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy declared a state of emergency due to the rapid spread of wildfires in the state, which consumed over 2 million acres of land and caused significant damage to local communities.