1. Iowa became a state on August 8, 1846. Prior to that, it was part of the Iowa Territory, which was created in 1838. Iowa was the 29th state to join the Union.

2. On August 8, 1876, a major tornado struck the town of Oskaloosa, Iowa, killing 17 people and destroying many buildings. The tornado was part of a larger outbreak that affected several states in the region.

3. The Iowa State Fair, one of the largest and oldest state fairs in the country, often begins on August 8 or around that time. The first Iowa State Fair was held in 1854, and it has been an annual event ever since.

4. On August 8, 1949, Iowa Governor William Beardsley ordered the Iowa National Guard to enforce a court order barring picketing at two packing plants in Sioux City. The picketing was part of a strike by meatpacking workers, and the National Guard was called in to maintain order.

5. Iowa-born astronaut Peggy Whitson set a record on August 8, 2017, for spending the most cumulative days in space by an American astronaut. Whitson, who grew up in rural Iowa, has spent a total of 665 days in space over the course of three missions.