1. The first recorded intercollegiate basketball game in the United States was played on February 19, 1895, between Hamline University and Minnesota A&M. The game was played at the Hamline Gymnasium in St. Paul, Minnesota.

2. On February 19, 1913, the Grand Central Terminal opened in New York City. The terminal, which replaced an earlier station that had been demolished, is the largest railroad station in the world by number of platforms (44) and is a popular tourist attraction.

3. February 19, 1942, saw the beginning of a series of Japanese air raids on the city of Darwin, Australia. The attacks were the largest ever mounted by a foreign power on Australian soil.

4. The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held on February 19, 1924, and was called the "Macy's Christmas Parade." The parade featured floats, marching bands, and live animals, and was so successful that it became an annual event held on Thanksgiving Day.

5. February 19, 2008, marked the opening of the first IKEA store in New York City, located in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn. The store, which covers 346,000 square feet, is the largest IKEA store in the United States.