1. Washington Territory was created on January 1, 1853: On this day, then-President of the United States, Millard Fillmore, signed the bill creating Washington Territory out of a portion of Oregon Territory. The new territory included what is now Washington state, as well as parts of Idaho and Montana.

2. The first Rose Bowl game was played on January 1, 1916: The Rose Bowl is a major college football game played annually in Pasadena, California. The first game was played on January 1, 1902, but the tradition of playing it on New Year's Day began in 1916. The University of Washington played in the Rose Bowl for the first time in 1960.

3. The Seattle Space Needle opened on January 1, 1962: The Space Needle is an iconic tourist attraction in Seattle and was built for the 1962 World's Fair. It stands 605 feet tall and offers spectacular views of the city and surrounding area.

4. The Seattle Seahawks won their first playoff game on January 1, 1984: The Seahawks, founded in 1976, had never won a playoff game until they beat the Denver Broncos 31-7 on this day in 1984. They went on to lose to the Los Angeles Raiders in the next round.

5. Same-sex marriage became legal in Washington state on January 1, 2013: Washington state voters approved Referendum 74 in November 2012, making it one of the first states to legalize same-sex marriage through popular vote. The law went into effect on January 1, 2013.