Missouri Life

W. J. Catron of Neosho lived above the Big Spring. On this morning he went to get a bucket of water and stepped off his porch onto a sheet of ice. He slid head-first to the bottom…

Jolly old Jesse James dressed as Santa Claus for his two children, Jesse Jr., age 6, and Mary, age 2. It was to be Jesse's last Christmas.

The first train ran on the first railroad west of the Mississippi River, the Pacific Railroad of Missouri from St. Louis to Cheltenham, a distance of five miles.  (Cheltenham is…

Missouri Life magazine has added three new members to its staff to bring readers a look at the people, culture, artwork, food, and stories that define the Show-Me State.

George Olds, editor of Springfield’s weekly news journal, Bias, commented on an unexpected impact of manufactured artificial Christmas trees. He claimed that back in the…

This date in Missouri history: Nostradamus, the Mayan calendar, and others predicted that on this day, 12-21-12, the world would end.  (Congratulations if you are reading this!)……

Birthday of actress, singer, and pin-up girl, Betty Grable from St. Louis.  Lloyds of London insured her legs for $1 million.

C.C. McCallon’s clothing store in West Plains was robbed by Ma Barker’s gang.  It was noted that they took over $2,000 worth of clothing and only the latest fashions.

This date in Missouri history: The steamboat Alice Gray exploded her boiler and sank at Rocheport.

The mayor of St. Louis approved plans to appoint 5,000 auxiliary police officers to help in the event of nuclear attack.  Their jobs would be to patrol devastated areas.