1. Hawaii was officially annexed by the United States on August 13, 1898. This followed a long period of political turmoil in the island nation and was met with both celebration and opposition from the Hawaiian people.

2. On August 13, 1971, the Hawaii State Capitol building was dedicated in Honolulu. Designed by architect John Carl Warnecke, the distinctive modernist structure features a large open-air central courtyard and is one of the most recognizable buildings in the state.

3. August 13 is also significant in Hawaiian culture as the date of the annual Kilauea Volcano Festival. Held in the town of Volcano on the Big Island, the festival celebrates the area's unique geological features with food, music, and other cultural activities.

4. On August 13, 1958, the first submarine cable connecting Hawaii to the U.S. mainland was completed. This fiber-optic cable, which stretched over 2,400 miles, revolutionized communication and made it possible for Hawaii to be connected to the rest of the country in real time.

5. August 13 is the birthday of Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian athlete and cultural icon known as the "father of modern surfing." Kahanamoku won Olympic gold medals in swimming and popularized surfing around the world, helping to make Hawaii a symbol of sun, sand, and adventure.