Missouri History

At Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site in New Madrid, visitors can explore a grand Southern mansion while learning about the families who shaped the development of Missouri's southeastern lowlands for a century and a half. 

On this date in history, Missouri's first secretary of state, Joshua Barton, was killed in a duel.

The Corps of Discovery sighted bison for the first time during their journey on this date.

Gov. Daniel Dunklin's Grave State Historic Site is a one-acre cemetery plot. Here visitors can reflect on Dunklin's achievements, which include the establishment of tax-supported public school systems, and take in the view of the Mississippi.

The road is an endless source of wonder. Follow the path of this early highway for an adventure that will take you through historic homes, a depot museum, a Main Street district, and an unusual museum dedicated to small electrical appliances. 

Say oui to a weekend in Historic Downtown Ste. Genevieve, where the 27th French Heritage Festival will whisk visitors away to another time by recreating French Colonial-style celebrations and showcasing skills and arts representative of the period.

On this date in history, the Lewis and Clark Expedition—also known as the Voyage of Discovery—sets out across Missouri to explore the lands west of the Mississippi.

Shortly after the Civil War ended, the riverboat Sultana—overloaded with Union soldiers released from Confederate prison camps—began its journey up the Mississippi River. What happened next would become one of America's worst maritime disasters.

Calamity Jane: Calamity Jane, was born at Princeton, MO.

Sometimes it's fun to wonder "what if?" An exhibit at the Special Collections Gallery at the University of Missouri-Kansas City's Miller Nichols Library imagines how a number of proposed projects might have reshaped the Kansas City experience.