1. In 1725, French explorer François Legault became the first known European to visit what is now Michigan's Saginaw Bay.

2. On May 8, 1864, the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House began during the American Civil War. Michigan troops played a significant role in the battle and suffered heavy losses.

3. Detroit Tigers outfielder Ty Cobb hit his 3,000th career hit on May 8, 1925, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to reach that milestone.

4. The Mackinac Bridge, which connects Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, officially opened on May 8, 1957, after three years of construction. At the time of its completion, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.

5. On May 8, 1973, a fire broke out at the Upstairs Lounge, a gay bar in New Orleans. Among the 32 people killed in the fire were two Michigan residents: brothers Eddie and George Gauthier, who were originally from Detroit. The tragedy remains one of the deadliest attacks on the LGBTQ+ community in United States history.