1. On February 25, 1636, Roger Williams was banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony and fled to what is now Rhode Island to establish a colony based on religious tolerance and separation of church and state.

2. The Providence Fire of 1900 occurred on February 25 and destroyed 303 buildings in downtown Providence, killing one person and causing over $15 million in damage (over $400 million in today's currency).

3. On February 25, 1924, 17-year-old Providence resident Frances Tarbox became the first person to receive a birth certificate with a raised embossed seal, which has since become a standard feature on birth certificates.

4. Rhode Island became the first state to pass legislation enacting a statewide ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces on February 25, 2005.

5. The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra performed its first concert on February 25, 1945, at the historic Masonic Temple in Providence. The orchestra has since become a beloved cultural institution in the state, performing over 200 concerts annually.