Ella Ewing

March 9, 1872

Ella Ewing, the “Missouri Giantess,” was born. She grew to be the world’s tallest woman of her time, reaching 8-feet, 4-inches.


Explore the Space Museum in Bonne Terre

The Bonne Terre Space Museum and Grissom Center opened 20 years ago as a tiny museum with great potential. Two decades later, museum president Earl Mullins and a group of enthusiastic volunteers have worked hard to grow the museum’s collections and inspire the next generation.


The Devil in Missouri Rock Formations.

In Missouri, the devil seems to own everything, including the kitchen and the sink. His name is associated with natural features that include names like tollgate, well, den, tea table, pan, washboard, promenade, elbow, and many others. But why are so many geologic formations property of the devil?


A Room With a Boo: Stay At These Haunted Hotels

The Lemp Mansion Restaurant & Inn, 21c Museum Hotel Kansas City, and The Elms Hotel & Spa have all found a successful formula by combining fine accommodations with a touch of spooky lore. Learn how you can do a haunted stay at these hotels, plus several more from around the state.


Visit Dillard Mill State Historic Site.

The 132-acre Dillard Mill State Historic Site offers a fully operational turbine-powered roller mill which can be toured and a mill store built around 1899. There is also a day-use picnic area with a shelter and a mile-and-a-half hiking trail through a glade and wooded uplands east of the mill.


Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site

Thomas Hart Benton is best known for the murals in our state capitol in Jefferson City. The home and studio that Benton and his wife Rita shared in Kansas City have been left perfectly preserved. The paints, furniture, sketches, and even his pipe sit right where he left them on the day he died.


Learn About Lake Ozark State Park

Lake of the Ozarks State Park has an interesting history. Learn how the lake itself came to be. More than just a lake for boating and fishing, the park is filled with trails, caves, miles of shoreline, great fishing, camps, an airport, and so much more.


Meramec State Park, One of the Oldest and Largest.

Make your way to the “cave park.” Take in the immense beauty as you float the river, stop by the visitor center and museum, check out the aquariums, and marvel at the geological wonders. Take a guided tour of one of the caves in the summer.


Grab your hiking boots and set out to see the natural wonders of this State Park.

By foot is the best way to see Pickle Creek, sandstone landscapes, shut-ins, and distinctive flora. Rose azaleas accent fern-covered ledges and Whispering Pine Wild Area beckons you to discover the wonders this State Park has to offer.


Visit Southwest Missouri’s Hidden Gems

We searched every corner of Missouri for hidden gems and thanks to our Missouri Life Ambassadors, we found one in each county: 114 of them! Here we explore places in Southwest Missouri that are ideal for your next day trip.