April 9, 1682
Robert de La Salle took possession of this Louisiana Territory, which included modern day Missouri, for France and named the area for King Louis XIV.
March 19, 1687
The French explorer Robert de La Salle, who expeditioned in Missouri and the Mississippi Valley, was murdered on this date by mutineers.
February 22, 1803
Congress set aside money on this date for a small military unit to explore the valleys of the Missouri and Columbia Rivers. Thomas Jefferson chose a childhood friend, Meriwether Lewis, to head the expedition.
January 28, 1817
Governor William Clark authorized a territorial lottery. It was to use profits to purchase fire equipment for the territory’s capital city, which was St. Louis.
January 5, 1779
Birthday of soldier and explorer, Zebulon Pike who was stationed in St. Louis and is the namesake of Pike County.
December 26, 1707
Father Sebastian Meurin was born on this date. He started the first church in St. Louis and performed Missouri’s first marriage in Ste. Genevieve.
November 28, 1803
Lewis and Clark visited the oldest permanent settlement in Missouri, Ste. Genevieve.
November 2, 1734
This is believed by some to be the birthday of a true legend, Daniel Boone. Boone and the people he brought may have done as much as any other people to give Missouri its unique and distinct character.
Finale of the Lewis & Clark Expedition
William Clark wrote of the "great velocity" of their trip as they grew ever more eager to get home. They made 65 miles this day and found themselves near present day Washington and Marthasville. One of the men shouted when he saw a cow and they knew they were back on the edge of settled country.
September 6, 1541
Hernando DeSoto’s party of exploration entered Missouri at what is now Ste. Genevieve. They made camp that night near present day Farmington.