1. On July 31, 1935, the Griffith Observatory opened to the public in Los Angeles. It has become a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, offering breathtaking views of the city and the night sky.

2. In 1952, actor and musician Johnny Hodges recorded the album "Used to Be Duke" in Los Angeles on July 31. Hodges was a longtime member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and the album features many of Ellington's compositions.

3. July 31, 1961, marked the final game played at Gilmore Field in Los Angeles. The minor league ballpark was the longtime home of the Hollywood Stars and was later demolished to make way for a supermarket.

4. In 1992, the Los Angeles Clippers traded NBA star Danny Manning to the Atlanta Hawks on July 31. The trade was controversial at the time and is still remembered as one of the biggest in Clippers history.

5. On July 31, 2009, the California State Assembly passed a bill that made California the first state in the nation to require that all textbooks include the contributions of LGBT Americans. The bill was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger later that year.