1. In 1774, frontiersman Daniel Boone led a party of 31 men to establish the first settlement in Kentucky, known as Boonesborough. This marked the beginning of European settlement in the region.

2. On May 16, 1812, the Kentucky General Assembly passed the first law in the United States regulating the practice of medicine. The law required doctors to obtain a license before practicing, and established a board of examiners to oversee the licensing process.

3. The famous Kentucky Derby, one of the most prestigious horse races in the world, is held on the first Saturday in May each year. However, in 2020, the Derby was rescheduled to September 5 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

4. In 1937, a tragic event occurred in Kentucky when a gas leak caused a massive explosion at the New London School in Texas, killing over 300 people, many of whom were Kentucky natives.

5. On May 16, 2004, the historic Belle of Louisville steamboat celebrated its 90th birthday. The Belle is the oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat in the world, and is a popular tourist attraction in Louisville, Kentucky.