1. On October 8, 1871, the town of Georgetown was almost completely destroyed by a massive fire that burned for nearly 24 hours. It is believed that the fire was started by a discarded cigarette in a saloon and quickly spread due to high winds and dry conditions. Over 300 buildings were destroyed, but no lives were lost.

2. In 1928, the first flight from Denver to Chicago took place on October 8th. This was a major milestone for commercial aviation in the United States as it marked the beginning of transcontinental air travel.

3. On October 8, 1982, the Colorado Rockies hockey team played their first game in franchise history. The team was founded as part of the NHL's expansion in 1979 but had to wait three years to begin play as their home arena, McNichols Sports Arena, was not ready until 1982.

4. In 1963, the first spacecraft to land on the moon was developed in Colorado by the Martin Marietta Corporation. The spacecraft, called the Surveyor 1, successfully landed on the moon's surface on June 2, 1966, and transmitted data back to Earth for over a year.

5. On October 8, 1900, the world's first rodeo was held in Denver, Colorado. The event featured saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, and bull riding, and was organized by cowboy and rancher John W. Roberts. The success of this initial event led to the development of the modern rodeo as we know it today.