1. The first Valentine's Day card in the United States was sent from Connecticut.

The first Valentine's Day card in the United States was sent from Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1840. But the first American-made valentine was created in Hartford, Connecticut, by Esther Howland in the 1850s. Howland became known as the "Mother of the American Valentine" and her company, the New England Valentine Company, eventually became one of the largest producers of valentines in the world.

2. Connecticut was the first state to offer Civil unions to same-sex couples on Valentine's Day.

On February 14, 2005, Connecticut became the first state to offer civil unions to same-sex couples with the passage of Public Act 05-10. The law provided same-sex couples with nearly all of the same legal protections and benefits as married couples, but stopped short of allowing them to marry.

3. Black history month was first celebrated in Connecticut on February 14, 1970.

Black history month was officially recognized in the U.S. by President Gerald Ford in 1976, but it was first celebrated on a statewide level in Connecticut. On February 14, 1970, Governor Thomas Meskill declared the week of February 8-14 as Black History Week. The week was later expanded to a month-long celebration.

4. The Hartford Circus Fire occurred on July 6, 1944, but its anniversary is now observed on February 14.

On July 6, 1944, a fire broke out at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Hartford, Connecticut, killing 167 people and injuring hundreds more. Although the fire occurred in July, its anniversary is now observed on February 14 as a way to commemorate the victims and raise awareness about fire safety.

5. The USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, was launched on February 14, 1954, in Groton, Connecticut.

The USS Nautilus was commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1955 and was the first submarine to complete a submerged transit of the North Pole in 1958. The submarine served until it was decommissioned in 1980 and is now on display at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut.