1) On September 5, 1854, the city of Seattle was officially incorporated. Originally dubbed "New York-Alki," Seattle was named after Chief Seattle of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes who had great influence in the area. Today, Seattle is known for its famous landmarks such as the Space Needle and Pike Place Market.

2) One of the darkest moments in Washington's labor history occurred on September 5, 1885, when Chinese coal miners in Rock Springs were targeted and attacked by a mob of white miners seeking higher wages. Many Chinese miners were killed or injured, and the event highlighted the racial tensions and discrimination of the time.

3) In 2017, on September 5, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that the state's death penalty was unconstitutional, citing racial and geographic disparities in its application. Washington became the 20th state in the U.S. to abolish the death penalty.

4) On September 5, 1972, the Washington State Department of Transportation made history by opening the world's first built-in-bulkhead floating bridge, the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge. Spanning across Lake Washington, the bridge was a major engineering feat and helped alleviate traffic congestion in Seattle.

5) In another noteworthy achievement, Seattle's Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 50th home run of the season on September 5, 1999, becoming only the third player in baseball history to hit 50 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons. Known as "The Kid," Griffey Jr. is one of the greatest players in Mariners history and was eventually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.