1. The first California State Assembly held its first session on February 20, 1850, in San Jose. This marked the beginning of California's state government and legislative history.

2. On February 20, 1909, the first flight in California took place in Pasadena by Glenn H. Curtiss, a pioneer aviator. He flew a "June Bug" biplane over a distance of around 1,000 feet.

3. In a speech at UCLA on February 20, 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his only public address on the Vietnam War in California. He called for an end to the war and redirected the nation's resources towards infrastructure, education, and healthcare.

4. On February 20, 1971, Scott Carpenter, one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, became the first underwater explorer to live and work on the ocean floor. He spent nearly 30 days living in the submerged Sealab II habitat off the coast of La Jolla.

5. The World's Tallest Thermometer, a popular roadside attraction in Baker, California, was unveiled on February 20, 1991. Standing at 134 feet, it is a tribute to the highest recorded temperature in the United States, which occurred in nearby Death Valley on July 10, 1913.