August 23, 1880
This the birthday of Jesse Clyde Nichols, the visionary developer who created Kansas City's beautiful Country Club Plaza.
August 20, 1888
With the death of Nat Kinney, the Bald Knobbers of Southwest Missouri were finally suppressed. Read more about the Bald Knobbers here.
August 19, 1877
Several noted scientists expressed interest in recent reports of a "sea serpent" sighted in the Mississippi River at eastern Missouri. It was described as 30-feet-long with dark scales, a head like a dog, and a mouth like a pelican.
August 18, 1960
R. Buckminster Fuller designed something he called a geodesic dome and placed one in the Missouri Botanical Garden. Calling this one a "Climatron" he explained that it would last for a while but was not a permanent structure. It has been there now for over 50 years and seems able to stand for many more.
August 17, 1927
Having arrived in town in the Spirit of St. Louis, Charles Lindbergh dedicated the new Municipal Airport in Kansas City. A crowd of 25,000 was on hand.
August 16, 1817
The first duel between lawyers Thomas Hart Benton and Charles Lucas was fought on Bloody Island near St. Louis. At 30 paces both men were wounded.
August 15, 1904
76 year old Geronimo was roping calves at the World's Fair on this day. He did very well and got a good round of applause from the audience.
August 13, 1801
On this date the “Mother of Kansas City” was born. Bernice Therese Menard Chouteau and her husband Francois Chouteau came from St. Louis to establish a trading post in 1821. They were the first white settlers in what is now Kansas City.
August 12, 1927
Country music legend Porter Wagoner was born in West Plains on this day. He worked for years in Springfield on Radio and TV.