1. On February 16, 1872, Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani, one of the most prominent members of the Hawaiian royal family, passed away. She was known for her strong-willed nature and her efforts to preserve Hawaiian culture and traditions.

2. In 1948, the University of Hawaii at Manoa established the Institute of Pacific Relations, which focused on studying the relationships between the countries of the Pacific region. The institute later became known as the East-West Center, and today it serves as a leading research and education institution.

3. On February 16, 1959, Hawaii officially became the 50th state of the United States. This marked the end of a long struggle for statehood, which began in the late 19th century and faced many obstacles along the way.

4. In 1987, a major earthquake struck the Hawaiian island of Maui. The 6.2 magnitude quake caused significant damage and resulted in several injuries, but no fatalities were reported.

5. On February 16, 2013, an asteroid weighing approximately 130,000 tons passed close to the Earth. The asteroid, known as 2012 DA14, came within 27,700 kilometers of the planet, which is closer than some communication satellites orbiting Earth. The event sparked renewed interest in the study of asteroids and their potential threat to the Earth.