1. On July 8, 1858, the Minnesota State Agricultural Society was founded. This organization promoted and improved facilities for agriculture in the state, helping to make Minnesota a major agricultural state.

2. The famous Minnesota baseball player, Paul Molitor, was born on July 8, 1956. Molitor played for the Minnesota Twins from 1996 to 1998, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004.

3. On July 8, 1863, a band of Dakota warriors attacked the settlement of Hutchinson, Minnesota, killing 18 people. This was part of the larger conflict known as the Dakota War of 1862, which lasted for several months and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people.

4. Minnesota's first Orville Redenbacher's popcorn plant opened in Elk River on July 8, 1970. This plant was one of the largest producers of popcorn in the world, and was a major employer in the area.

5. On July 8, 1983, the first Macy's store in Minnesota opened at the Rosedale Center in Roseville. Today, Macy's is one of the largest department store chains in the United States, with over 600 locations nationwide.