Missouri History

At the old Jail and Hanging Barn in Boonville, Lawrence Mabry climbed the 13 steps to the loft and was hanged for a killing in Pettis County. This was the last public hanging in Missouri. 

This day in Missouri history: Rocky Sickman, a hostage in Iran for 444 days came home to cheering crowds and a return to quiet Krakow, Missouri.

This date in Missouri history: Magician Harry Houdini introduced his famous “Milk Can Escape” while performing at the Columbia Theatre in St. Louis.

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that separate-but-equal facilities like schools were unconstitutional. This led to the closure of the school perched on the hillside in Dalton. After the 1956 school year, active Dalton students attended now-integrated schools in their hometowns.
Now seemed like a great time to gather memories of Dalton Vocational School from the shrinking pool of aging alumni. This podcast tells the story of Dalton Vocational School—Missouri's "Little Tuskegee"—in the former students' own words. 

This date in Missouri history: One of the most famous guests in St. Louis history, Pope John Paul II, touched down at Lambert Airport for a 31-hour visit. The Pope was greeted by President Bill Clinton.

The story is familiar, replicated by scores of people living and working in Missouri in the 1800s. It goes something like this: a person starts from humble beginnings, takes big risks in moving west to pursue new opportunities, starts simple and builds a trade or business, employs many people, offers essential products or services that make life possible, and in the end not only enjoys success but becomes a benefactor for the common good.
Those stories are common. What is rare is a person who was born into slavery and then did all those things, like Hiram Young.

This date in Missouri history. Planning work began on a road to connect Manchester with Jefferson City by way of Union and Mount Sterling. This road became well-traveled by horseback and stagecoach travelers. Today we call it Highway 50.

This date in Missouri history. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra played its first-ever concert on the night after the St. Louis Theater was converted into Powell Hall, renamed for local businessman Walter Powell when his widow donated $1 million for it to be refurbished as the home for the symphony.

When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened its doors in Cleveland, its first class consisted of the stars who music historians considered the best of the best. St. Louis native Chuck Berry was among the first inductees, along with Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

This date in Missouri history: This was the last day to meet in the first capital building in St. Charles. All records were taken to Jefferson City by canoe.