1. On December 8, 1795, Connecticut Governor Oliver Wolcott signed a bill establishing the state's first turnpike, the Hartford and New Haven Turnpike. This toll road connected the two cities and was a major transportation artery for many years.

2. In 1852, December 8 marked the opening of Trinity College in Hartford. Originally founded as Washington College in 1823, the institution was re-named Trinity after moving to its current campus in the late 19th century.

3. Connecticut's first dog show was held on December 8, 1877, at the Mechanics Building in Hartford. The event, organized by the Connecticut Kennel Club, was a milestone moment in the development of organized dog breeding and showing in the United States.

4. On December 8, 1942, a devastating fire broke out at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston, killing 492 people. Among the victims were several Connecticut residents, including a number of servicemen stationed at nearby bases.

5. In 1982, December 8 was designated as "Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day" by the Connecticut General Assembly. The day is marked annually with ceremonies and events across the state honoring the servicemen and women who lost their lives during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.