1. In 1982, the Boston Celtics signed Larry Bird to a 5-year contract worth $15 million, making him the highest-paid player in the NBA at the time.

2. In 1892, the first Lowell Folk Festival was held in Lowell, Massachusetts. The festival continues to this day and features music, dance, crafts, and food from around the world.

3. In 1997, the Massachusetts Turnpike tunnel opened to traffic, connecting the city of Boston to Logan International Airport. The project was the largest public works project in state history at the time.

4. In 1917, the USS Constitution, also known as "Old Ironsides," was towed from Charlestown Navy Yard to its current location at the Boston Naval Shipyard. The ship is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world.

5. In 2003, the famous "Green Monster" at Fenway Park in Boston was painted green for the first time in over 50 years. The wall had been left unpainted since 1945 due to wartime shortages.