Missouri – The Show Me State

Greetings from Missouri Postcard. Available at Legends' General Store.

Greetings from Missouri Postcard. Available at Legends’ General Store.

Missouri was admitted to the Union on August 10, 1821, and is rich in history and culture. American Indian warriors, such as the Osage and Missouri, and famous pioneers, such as Lewis and Clark, were drawn to the vast waterways of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and the abundant land and wildlife.

In the first half of the 1800s, Missouri’s history was rich with the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails threading through Kansas City and Independence. In the second half of the nineteenth century, Missouri saw many struggles as it moved from a pro-slavery state to a Union State, experiencing armed conflict and guerrilla raids.

Bridal Cave

Bridal Cave

Missouri offers stunning scenery in its rolling hills, winding rivers, and limestone bluffs. Explore Missouri’s many underground caves, enjoy white water rapids, fish in its numerous streams and lakes, and visit its many small towns that abound with charm and friendly people.

This is just a little of what the state has to offer. Enjoy your travels in Missouri, and welcome to the Legends of the Show-Me State.

Kathy R. Weiser-Alexander
Founder/Editor

Missouri Flag – Centered on red, white, and blue fields is the Missouri state seal. A blue band encircles it with 24 stars representing the number of states in 1821. The stars in the inner circle have the same meaning. Two huge grizzly bears support the circular shield in the center, which has three parts:

  1. The motto is “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”
  2. The right section represents the United States.
  3. The left section contains a moon representing a new state and a grizzly bear standing for courage.
Beautiful Fall Foliage along Highway MO19 near Hermann, Missouri, by Kathy Alexander.

Beautiful Fall Foliage along Highway MO19 near Hermann, Missouri, by Kathy Alexander.

Chain of Rocks Bridge on Route 66 in St. Louis, Missouri by Carol Highsmith

Chain of Rocks Bridge on Route 66 in St. Louis, Missouri, by Carol Highsmith

Big Spring State Park, Missouri, by Kathy Alexander.

Big Spring State Park, Missouri, by Kathy Alexander.

Missouri Capitol at Jefferson City by Kathy Alexander.

Missouri Capitol at Jefferson City by Kathy Alexander.

Missouri Cartoon Map

Missouri Cartoon Map available for poster prints HERE.

Categories:

Forts of Missouri

Ghost Towns

Haunted Missouri

Historic People of Missouri

Missouri in the Civil War

Missouri Photo Galleries

Missouri Postcards

Quirky Missouri 

Route 66 – Missouri Mother Road

Treasure Hunting in Missouri

Articles:

The American Midwest

Arrow Rock & the Santa Fe Trade

Beyond Lebanon – Ozark Hills & Farms

Bleeding Kansas & the Missouri Border War

Burfordville – Home of the Bollinger Mill

Bourbon – Named for Liquor

Branson – From Hillbillies to State of the Art

Caledonia – Stepping Back in Time

Carthage – America’s Maple Leaf City

Civil War Battles in Missouri

Control Missouri Campaign of the Civil War

Cliff Drive Scenic Byway

Corps of Discovery – The Lewis & Clark Expedition

Devil’s Promenade & the Hornet Spook Light

Cape Girardeau Forts and the Battle of Cape Girardeau

Elms Hotel in Excelsior Springs

Jerome – Tribute to the Trail of Tears

Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Hermann – Little Germany

Historic Playgrounds on the Meramec River

Ill-Fated Times Beach

Independence – Queen City of the Trails

Joplin – Lead Mining Capital

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City Photo Gallery

Kansas City Timeline

Liberty Arsenal

TWA Headquarters – A Long Road to Failure

Vanished in Kansas City

Union Station Massacre

Lebanon – Trails Through the Ozarks

Midland Trail – First Transcontinental Auto-Trail

The Mississippi River and Expansion of America

Missouri Fun Facts & Trivia

Missouri Timeline

The Mighty Missouri River

Momo – The Missouri Monster

Onwards To Cuba – Vineyard Country

Osceola – Surviving All Odds

Oregon Trail – Pathway to the West

Pacific – Gateway to the Ozarks

Pony Express – Fasted Mail Across the West

Pony Express Stations

Riders of the Pony Express

Quest for Treasure in the Missouri River

Pulaski County – Heart of the Ozarks

Rolla – The Middle of Everywhere

Santa Fe Trail – Highway to the Southwest

Santa Fe Trail Through Missouri

Tales of the Santa Fe Trail

Sedalia – Missouri Cowtown

The Slicker War of Benton County

Springfield – Queen City of the Ozarks

St. Clair – A Way Stop on Route 66

Ste. Genevieve – Europeans West of the Mississippi River

St. James – Forest City of the Ozarks

St. Joseph – Jumping Off To the West

St Louis – Gateway to the West

St. Louis Arsenal History

Sullivan – A Lead Mining Maven

Tips For Travelers In The Midwest

Union, Missouri – Small Town Charm

Warsaw – Rich History on the Osage River

Weston – The Town That Refused to Die

Webb City – The Mine Owner’s Town

Writing Credits

You Know You’re In Missouri When …

©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated February 2024.

Also See:

Destinations Across America

National Parks

United States Geography

U.S. States