1. On January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, officially ending the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War. The accords were signed at the Shangri-La Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City.

2. In 1880, the first electric streetlights in New York City were installed on a stretch of Broadway between 14th and 26th streets. The installation was completed on January 27 of that year, illuminating the city streets in a whole new way.

3. On January 27, 1908, the first ball drop in Times Square took place. The tradition of dropping a ball to mark the New Year had been started in 1907 by the owner of the New York Times, but the first official ball drop took place the following year.

4. In 1967, the Apollo 1 spacecraft caught fire during a pre-launch test on January 27. The tragic accident claimed the lives of astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee.

5. On January 27, 1996, a blizzard dubbed the "Storm of the Century" hit the East Coast of the United States. New York City was hit hard, with up to 20 inches of snowfall in some areas and winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour. The storm caused widespread power outages and transportation disruptions.