1. On April 8, 1928, a devastating fire swept through the town of Sumner, Maine, destroying much of the central business district. The fire began in a local sawmill and quickly spread, engulfing several buildings before finally being brought under control later in the day. Fortunately, no one was killed in the blaze, but the town suffered more than $50,000 in damages.

2. April 8, 1873 saw the birth of Verrill Dana, a prominent attorney and civic leader in Portland, Maine. Dana served as the city's mayor in the 1920s and was instrumental in the development of the city's parks, roads, and other public spaces. He was also a strong advocate for civil rights and social justice, serving as president of the Portland NAACP and helping to found Maine's first chapter of the Urban League.

3. In 1858, Maine's first railroad tunnel was completed near the town of North Berwick. The tunnel, which was nearly a mile long, allowed trains to bypass a steep hill and was a major engineering accomplishment at the time. Today, the tunnel remains in use by freight trains traveling between Boston and Portland.

4. April 8, 1917 marked the entry of the United States into World War I, a conflict that would have profound consequences for Maine and the nation as a whole. More than 35,000 Mainers served in the war, and hundreds lost their lives or were injured in the fighting. The war also had a major impact on Maine's economy, as many factories and shipyards were converted to war production and the state became a major supplier of goods and services to the military.

5. On April 8, 1991, Maine experienced one of the worst ice storms in its history, with freezing rain and high winds causing widespread damage and power outages across the state. At its peak, the storm left more than 600,000 people without power and caused nearly $200 million in damages. Despite the destruction, Mainers rallied to help one another, with countless acts of generosity and kindness in the face of adversity.