1. 1862 - The First Central Pacific Railroad Track was Laid: On October 8, 1862, the Central Pacific Railroad laid the first track in California as part of the transcontinental railroad project.
2. 1956 - The Hollywood Freeway was Completed: On October 8, 1956, the Hollywood Freeway (Interstate 101) was completed, connecting Downtown Los Angeles with Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley.
3. 1980 - The Loma Prieta Earthquake: On October 8, 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area, causing widespread damage and killing 63 people.
4. 2003 - The California Recall Election: On October 8, 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected as Governor of California in a recall election, replacing Governor Gray Davis.
5. 2017 - The Deadly Wine Country Wildfires: On October 8, 2017, devastating wildfires broke out in California's wine country, killing 44 people and destroying thousands of homes and buildings.