Missouri History

On Christmas Eve, 1895, a shooting occurred in a North St. Louis saloon that was destined to find a prominent—and permanent—place in American oral tradition.

The final duel was fought between Thomas Hart Benton and Charles Lucas on Bloody Island. Lucas was hit and said, "Colonel, you have murdered me and I never can forgive you." He died on the spot. Read more about this in Tales From Missouri and the Heartland.

The James Gang robbed the box office at the Kansas City Fair right in the middle of a crowd of 10,000 people. The K.C. papers praised the outlaws for how daring they were. 

After entering the Union in 1821, Missouri went nearly an entire century without a state flag. The Missouri state flag was finally designed by Ray County native Marie Watkins Oliver.

A conversation with Chief Geoffrey M. Standing Bear of the Osage Nation, based in Pawhuska, Oklahoma

A conversation with Heather Payne, Otoe-Missouria Tribe public information officer, based in Red Rock, Oklahoma.

At a time when the nations of Europe were competing for global control of trade and land, the New World offered the ideal opportunity to fill European coffers and expand their empires. The only problem was that someone already lived here.

It was "Dizzy Dean Week" in St. Louis in celebration of the movie The Pride of St. Louis. Dizzy was in town for the week and said he didn't care if it wasn't exactly accurate.

Missouri is defined by its small towns as much as anything else. Between our state’s two great metropolises lies our state’s heart—where tiny towns populate great plains and small communities dot the rugged landscape of the Ozark hollows. Some sit high above the Missouri on great river bluffs; some are tucked away in the woods. 

It’s no wonder that a writer like Kate would be drawn to the story of Ella Kate, the “Missouri Giantess.” Born in LaGrange in 1872, Ella stood eight-feet-four inches when fully grown and wore size 24 shoes.