1. On February 20, 1809, the renowned author, poet, and literary critic Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Poe is famous for his dark and eerie tales, including "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Raven," and his contributions to the development of the modern detective story.

2. February 20, 1839, saw the birth of Charles S. Stratton, better known as "General Tom Thumb." Stratton was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but spent much of his career touring with P.T. Barnum's circus as a "human oddity" due to his dwarfism.

3. In 1933, February 20 marked the day that Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston became the first hotel in the United States to offer room service. Today, room service is a staple of hotels around the world, but Copley Plaza was the pioneer in this industry.

4. On February 20, 1974, the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers made hockey history when they participated in what was known as the "Broad Street Bullies Brawl." The game was characterized by rough play, fighting, and a total of 129 penalty minutes.

5. In 2003, February 20 saw the first same-sex marriages legally performed in the United States. The event took place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where dozens of couples lined up to be the first to tie the knot under the state's new marriage equality law. Today, same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states.