1. On February 21, 1850, the Utah Territorial Legislature established the University of Deseret, which later became the University of Utah. The university started as a small school with only a few faculty members and has since grown to become a major research university with over 33,000 students.

2. February 21, 1863, marked the beginning of the Bear River Massacre, a conflict between US Army soldiers and Shoshone Indians. The battle resulted in the death of at least 250 Shoshone people and is considered one of the largest massacres of Native Americans in US history.

3. On February 21, 1918, the Utah State Capitol building caught fire and burned to the ground. The building was under construction at the time, and the cause of the fire was never definitively determined. The current Utah State Capitol building was completed in 1916 and stands as a historic landmark in Salt Lake City.

4. February 21, 1955, saw the opening of the first Taco Bell restaurant in Downey, California. Although not directly tied to Utah history, Taco Bell has become a popular fast-food chain in Utah and has had a significant impact on the state's culinary landscape.

5. On February 21, 2002, the 2002 Winter Olympics began in Salt Lake City. The games brought athletes and visitors from all over the world to Utah and brought international attention to the state's winter sports culture. The success of the games led to increased tourism and economic growth in the following years.