1. In 1855, Brigham Young, the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, established the University of Deseret in Salt Lake City. It later became the University of Utah and is now one of the largest universities in the state.

2. On February 9, 1864, the Utah Territory banned slavery. This was 22 years before the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution abolished slavery throughout the country.

3. The Hotel Utah, a historic hotel in Salt Lake City, opened on February 9, 1911. It was built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to accommodate visitors to the city and was later sold to a private company.

4. On February 9, 2002, the Winter Olympics opened in Salt Lake City. The event brought athletes and visitors from around the world to the city and was considered a major success.

5. In 2019, the Utah Legislature declared February 9th to be "Pizza Pie Day" in the state. The designation was made to recognize the contributions of local pizza restaurants to the state's economy and culture.