1. In 1685, the first execution in Connecticut took place on February 23. A man named James Wakeman was hanged in Hartford for murdering his own son.

2. On February 23, 1875, the first indoor ice hockey game was played at the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal. Although this doesn't relate specifically to Connecticut, it's worth noting that ice hockey is a popular sport in the state, with several professional and amateur teams based there.

3. In 1905, on February 23, suffragette Alice Paul was born in Mount Laurel. Paul was a prominent women's rights activist and played a key role in the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

4. On February 23, 1945, the US Army captured the German city of Pforzheim during World War II. Many Connecticut soldiers fought in the war, and several were killed or injured in the battle for Pforzheim.

5. In 1985, on February 23, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that homosexual acts between consenting adults were not a crime. This landmark decision paved the way for greater LGBTQ+ rights in the state and across the country.