July 24, 1800
Birthday of Henry Shaw who spent most of his adult life trying to find ways to give millions of his dollars to benefit St. Louis. He is most famous for starting the Missouri Botanical Gardens and donating Tower Grove Park, the largest Victorian park in America.
February 20, 1833
Legendary botanist, naturalist and medical doctor, George Engelmann, came to Missouri on this day. He did most of the work in establishing what is now the Missouri Botanical Garden for Henry Shaw.