1. On July 8, 1879, the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway completed its line through Kansas, connecting Chicago and Los Angeles. This allowed for easier transportation of goods and people, and helped to spur growth and development in the state.

2. Amelia Earhart, the pioneering aviator, was born in Atchison, Kansas on July 8, 1897. She went on to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and was a role model for many young women of her time.

3. On July 8, 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first U.S. president to travel by helicopter, as he flew from the White House to Camp David. Eisenhower, a native of Abilene, Kansas, was known for his innovative use of technology and his efforts to modernize the country.

4. The town of Lawrence, Kansas played a key role in the abolitionist movement, and on July 8, 1854, the town hosted a convention to organize the Free State Party. This new political party opposed the expansion of slavery into Kansas, and helped to pave the way for the events that would eventually lead to the Civil War.

5. On July 8, 1909, the city of Hutchinson, Kansas was hit by a massive tornado that killed 11 people and destroyed much of the downtown area. The tornado was one of the most destructive in Kansas history, and led to improved warning systems and building codes in the state.