1. The California Gold Rush officially began on January 24, 1848, when James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma.

2. On January 24, 1935, the popular board game Monopoly was first introduced to the world by Parker Brothers in San Francisco, California.

3. The Rose Bowl Game, one of the most prestigious college football bowl games, has been played on January 1 or 2, but on January 24, 1949, it was played on this date due to scheduling conflicts.

4. On January 24, 1973, the Supreme Court of California declared that no law in the state could restrict or abridge a woman's right to seek and obtain an abortion.

5. One of the deadliest floods in California history occurred on January 24, 1862, when the state was hit by a winter storm known as the "Great Flood of 1862." The flood caused an estimated $10 million in damage and left thousands homeless.