1. The Homestake Mine, which was one of the largest and deepest gold mines in the Western Hemisphere, was established in the Black Hills on May 2, 1876. The mine operated for over a century and produced more than 40 million ounces of gold, generating tremendous wealth for the state.

2. On May 2, 1889, the first territorial governor of South Dakota, Arthur C. Mellette, took office. Mellette would go on to serve three terms as governor and was instrumental in securing statehood for South Dakota in 1889.

3. In 1905, the first statewide automobile race was held in South Dakota on May 2. The race, which was held in Sioux Falls, attracted a large crowd and was won by a driver named D.R. Berget.

4. On May 2, 1962, the world's largest wire rope hoist was dedicated at the Homestake Mine. The hoist, which was capable of lifting 80,000 pounds of rock and ore at a time, was a major technological achievement for the mining industry.

5. In 1992, the first tornado in South Dakota history to be rated F5 on the Fujita scale struck the town of Chandler on May 2. The tornado was one of the most destructive in American history, causing millions of dollars in damage and killing one person.