Statehood

Oregon Becomes 33rd State
On February 14, 1859, Oregon was admitted as the 33rd state in the Union.

Iowa Becomes a State
On December 28, 1846, Iowa was admitted as America’s 29th state.

Alabama Becomes 22nd State
On December 14, 1819, Alabama was admitted to the Union as the 22nd state.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
On December 11, 1789, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was established. It’s the oldest public university in the United States in terms of beginning instruction as a public school.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
On December 2, 1980, President Jimmy Carter established Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Today the park is part of one of the world’s largest international protected areas.

Carolina and Charleston
On October 30, 1629, the Carolina Province was named, and plans were made for early settlement. That settlement would be delayed for many years, but the name was retained.

Largest Land Run in Oklahoma
On September 16, 1893, some 100,000 people raced to claim 6 million acres of land in former Indian Territory in Oklahoma. It was the largest land run into Oklahoma and resulted in the establishment of 40,000 homesteads.

Connecticut’s Charter Oak
On August 21, 1856, Connecticut’s famed Charter Oak Tree was struck down in a thunderstorm. The tree had become a legend in the state’s history, reportedly hiding the colonial charter two centuries earlier.

First Kentucky Settlement
On June 16, 1774, James Harrod led 31 men in the founding of the first permanent settlement in Kentucky. Over time the settlement was named Fort Harrod, Harrodstown, and finally Harrodsburg, in his honor.