1. On October 19, 1940, the Grand Canyon National Park was closed to visitors due to heavy snowfall. The park remained closed for several months until the roads were cleared and safe for visitors again.

2. In 1972, the Central Arizona Project (CAP) began pumping Colorado River water into central and southern Arizona. This project was a significant engineering feat that brought much-needed water to the arid region.

3. October 19, 2001, marked the opening of the Northern Arizona University Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix. The campus houses NAU's College of Health and Human Services and provides healthcare education to students in Arizona.

4. On this day in 1965, Arizona State University (ASU) was chartered as a university. Formerly known as the Arizona Territorial Normal School, ASU is the largest public university in Arizona and a leading research institution.

5. In 1985, the NBA's Phoenix Suns played in their first game at the new America West Arena (now known as the Talking Stick Resort Arena). The Suns won the game 140-122 against the Utah Jazz in front of a crowd of over 14,000.