1. On February 5, 1881, the Portland Society of Natural History was officially incorporated. This organization was instrumental in the founding of the Portland Museum of Art, and continues to promote science, history, and culture in the state.

2. In 1904, a blizzard struck Maine on February 5 and lasted for three days. The storm dumped over a foot of snow in some areas of the state and caused widespread power outages and travel disruptions.

3. On February 5, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was commissioned at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. The ship went on to serve in World War II and was famously sunk by a Japanese torpedo in the summer of 1945.

4. In 1973, the Maine State House of Representatives passed a groundbreaking "Pregnancy Discrimination Act" on February 5. This law prohibited employers from discriminating against female employees based on their pregnancy or childbirth status.

5. On February 5, 2000, the Maine Black Bears men's ice hockey team played their last game at the Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine. The arena, which opened in 1976, underwent major renovations after the season and was renamed the Alfond Sports Center.