1. In 1839, the first steamship to visit Milwaukee, the Phoenix, arrived on February 25. This marked a significant development in the city's transportation and trade industries.

2. On February 25, 1885, the Wisconsin State Journal reported a rare sighting of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, over Madison. This natural phenomenon is caused by the interaction of solar wind with Earth's magnetic field.

3. In 1919, the Wisconsin Legislature voted to pass the Volstead Act, which enforced Prohibition. This law established the legal framework for banning the production, sale, and transportation of alcohol in the state.

4. On February 25, 1950, the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team won their first Big Ten Conference Championship. Led by coach Harold "Bud" Foster, the team went on to make six NCAA tournament appearances and win two conference titles during the 1950s.

5. In 1970, the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team played a game against the New York Knicks at the Milwaukee Arena. This game marked the first time that Bucks' star player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor) faced off against Knicks' legend Walt Frazier. The Bucks won the game 123-117.