1. In 1782, New York City was officially declared the capital of the United States. Although it would only hold this title for a brief period (1785-1790), it was an important milestone for the city's political and cultural significance.

2. On December 5, 1839, the city's first grand jury trial was held. This trial, which centered around a dispute between a landlord and tenant, set an important legal precedent for the way that property law cases would be handled in the future.

3. 1914 marks the year that the first electric traffic signal was installed in New York City. The signal was located at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Brooklyn, and quickly became an important safety feature for drivers and pedestrians alike.

4. The Empire State Building, one of the most iconic landmarks in New York City, opened its doors to the public on December 5, 1931. Standing at over 1,400 feet tall, the building was the tallest in the world until the first tower of the World Trade Center was completed in 1972.

5. Finally, on December 5, 1965, the New York City Transit Authority unveiled its first experimental "mini-buses." These buses, which were about half the size of the city's regular buses, were designed to help alleviate congestion on busy routes and provide more efficient transportation for passengers. While the mini-bus program was ultimately ended due to budgetary constraints, it remains an interesting footnote in the city's history of transit innovation.