1. On April 23, 1637, the Pequot War began in Connecticut. This conflict between English colonists and the Pequot tribe lasted over a year and resulted in the near-annihilation of the Pequot people.

2. On April 23, 1789, the first U.S. President, George Washington, visited Connecticut during his inaugural tour of the country. He stayed in Hartford and attended church services at the First Church of Christ.

3. On April 23, 1910, a massive fire broke out in Bridgeport, Connecticut, destroying over 500 buildings and leaving thousands homeless. The blaze was caused by a gas explosion in a factory and took over 12 hours to fully extinguish.

4. On April 23, 1953, the University of Connecticut held its first "Aggie Olympics," an annual competition between students in various agricultural and technical disciplines. The event eventually evolved into the Husky Games, a broader athletic competition that still takes place today.

5. On April 23, 1962, the Hartford Whalers hockey team was founded. The team played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) until 1979, when it joined the National Hockey League (NHL) as an expansion franchise. The Whalers moved to North Carolina in 1997 and became the Carolina Hurricanes.