1. In 1881, the town of Leadville experienced a major snowstorm dumping over four feet of snow in a 36-hour period, causing severe damage to buildings and trapping trains in snowdrifts.

2. On January 18, 1909, President William Howard Taft visited Colorado and spoke to a crowd of over 20,000 people at the state capitol building in Denver, promoting the need for water conservation in the western states.

3. In 1945, the famous ski resort of Aspen hosted the first-ever World Championship in skiing, with over 250 athletes from 19 countries competing for the title.

4. On this day in 1964, the Colorado Legislature passed the Fair Housing Act, prohibiting discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.

5. January 18, 1978, marked the beginning of a severe blizzard that brought over two feet of snow to many parts of Colorado, leaving thousands stranded and causing numerous road closures and power outages. The storm continued for several days, and many schools and businesses were closed for up to a week.