1. On February 15th, 1898, South Dakota became the first state in the United States to pass a law granting women the right to vote. This took place nearly 22 years before the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote nationwide.

2. In 1967, 69-year-old George Mickelson was inaugurated as the 18th governor of South Dakota on February 15th. Mickelson served as governor for two terms before his death in a plane crash in 1993.

3. On February 15th, 1893, a 25-year-old entrepreneur named Fred Evans opened the first movie theater in the city of Sioux Falls. The theater, which was called The Nickelodeon, charged customers five cents to watch short films.

4. The first winter sports festival in South Dakota took place on February 15th, 1963, in Spearfish. The festival featured ice skating, ice fishing, ski jumping, and other winter activities. The festival has since become an annual event.

5. On February 15th, 1926, the South Dakota State Legislature approved a bill to establish the South Dakota State School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City. The school, which opened in 1885, is now known as the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and is one of the top engineering schools in the country.