Missouri History Today

The first play written in St. Louis was performed in a makeshift theater. An officer from Jefferson Barracks wrote The Pedlar, a three-act farce.

St. Louis-built Gemini Spacecraft was launched with Frank Borman and James Lovell on board.

Today in Missouri history, it was reported that the rabbit market had been ruined by warm weather. They were selling for only two cents each in south Missouri.

Black aviator, Wendell Pruitt, was honored in his home town of St. Louis on this day. He won the Distinguished Flying Cross for shooting down three German planes, destroying 70 on the ground and helping to sink a German destroyer.

Jean Baptiste Truteau was born. He was the first schoolmaster in St. Louis and is believed to have written the first poem in Missouri. It was about the attack on St. Louis in 1780 and it accused the Spanish Lieutenant Governor of cowardice.

Direct air mail service began between St. Louis and New York.

A railroad bridge across the Missouri at St. Charles collapsed for the third time! Thirty one freight cars plunged into the river. It was also proving to be a hazard for steamboats.

Over 300 barrels of Jack Daniels whiskey disappeared through a siphon hose from the distillery in St. Louis on this date in Missouri history.

Today's date in Missouri history is the birthday of Agnes Moorehead, who grew up in St. Louis, spent four seasons as a dancer in the MUNY and made her debut as a singer on KMOX.

Innovator of animated cartoons, theme parks, and more, Walt Disney from Marceline and Kansas City was born on this day.