The Hunter-Dawson Mansion: A Glimpse into Pre-Civil War Missouri
The Hunter-Dawson Mansion is a masterpiece of Greek Revival architecture The Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site in New Madrid serves as a stunning time capsule of the state’s Antebellum era. Representing the peak of 19th-century wealth and social standing, this mansion offers a rare look at the lifestyle of prominent Missourians before the onset of the…
Why Opening Day in St. Louis is the Ultimate Baseball Holiday
It’s Called Baseball Heaven For A Reason I have had the chance to cover some of the biggest sporting events around the country. But for me, nothing compares to Opening Day for the Cardinals. In St. Louis, Opening Day isn’t just a baseball game; it’s an unofficial civic holiday. Kids skip school and adults skip…
Arch Madness: The Very First AP College Basketball Poll had St. Louis University at #1
March Madness is upon us. Many of the historical heavyweights are once again the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, along with two Missouri colleges. And so this is a good time to look back at that very first AP Men’s College Basketball Poll, released on January 18, 1949. It featured a mix of modern blue bloods…
The Missouri County That Became Its Own Sovereign Nation
The Great McDonald Territory Secession A Missouri county revolts and sets up another Civil War in Missouri. It sounds like the setup for a tall tale. But in 1961, the residents of McDonald County were so fed up with being ignored by the state government that they decided to do the unthinkable: they seceded. Yes,…
St. Louis Now Leads the Country in People Living Alone
St. Louis has Become The Gateway to Solitude and Living Single St. Louis has long been defined by its historic neighborhoods, its architectural heritage, and its tight-knit sense of community. But if recent U.S. Census data is any indication, the way we inhabit this historic city is undergoing a significant transformation. That’s right, St. Louis…
Missouri’s Incredible Shrinking Cities
Show-Me the People: Why Missouri is Still Growing Despite a Worrisome Decline in Metro Cores If you’ve noticed a few more out-of-state license plates on I-70 lately, it’s not just your imagination. Missouri’s history has always been defined by people on the move—from the Gateway Arch welcoming pioneers to the bustling river commerce of the…
St. Louis’ 1904 Olympic Marathon Debacle
The 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials are right around the corner. The eyes of the country will be on Orlando as the best marathon runners in America will be competing for a spot on the Olympic Team. Several Missourians are expected to compete once again this year. But nothing can ever compare to what happened in…
The World’s First Skyscraper: St. Louis’s Gift to the Modern Skyline
How The Red Brick Revolution Changed the World If you’ve ever looked up at the glass towers of Manhattan or Dubai and wondered where it all began, you don’t need a plane ticket—you just need a parking spot at 7th and Chestnut. That is where you will find the Wainwright Building. The Wainwright Building isn’t…
Own Your Own Deserted Town: Discover the Legend of Ongo, Missouri
A Deserted Village with a Wedding Chapel on 900 Acres for $10,500,000 Welcome to Ongo—a breathtaking 900-acre “Paradise Village” that feels less like a real estate listing and more like a hidden chapter of the American frontier. Established in 1925, back when mail arrived by horseback, this unincorporated and deserted Missouri town has been privately…
St. Patrick’s Day History and Festivities in Missouri
The Luck of the Irish Across the Show Me State Kansas City One of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parades in the entire country takes place every year in the midtown area of Kansas City. We are talking about three-hours long, with dozens of elaborate floats, marching bands, and green as far as the eye…
Best Public Golf Courses in Missouri
Missouri has nearly 400 golf courses across the state as of 2024. That includes approximately 200 public, 68 municipal courses, and nearly 100 private courses. The Show Me State has such a variety of courses as well. There are courses cut through the Ozarks Mountains, some resting on bluffs, others with lakeside holes, and even…
Payne Stewart’s 1987 Masterclass at Bay Hill
The Golfer from Springfield Set A Record That Stands Nearly 40 Year Later The 1987 Arnold Palmer Invitational (then known as the Hertz Bay Hill Classic) was a historic year for the event, primarily because of a dominant, record-breaking performance by Missourian Payne Stewart. Yes, Bay Hill is full of history. But the tournament that…
How a Missourian Became America’s Largest Landowner: Inside His 2.7 Million-Acre Empire
For the Second Time in History, A Missourian is the Largest Landowner in the U.S. In 2026, Stan Kroenke officially became the largest private landowner in the United States. That’s pretty amazing a man from the small town of Mora. After graduation from Cole Camp High School, Kroenke went to Mizzou where he earned a…
16 Iconic Foods Invented in Missouri
From Toasted Ravioli to 7-Up: A Guide to Missouri’s Culinary Firsts Missouri has a surprisingly deep resume of food and beverage “firsts.” Many of these icons were born out of the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Others were from the creative kitchens of the state’s Italian and Chinese immigrant communities. And others were just…
Tuscan Mansion Hidden in the Heart of St. Albans
The Masterpiece at 1042 Wings Road In the rolling hills of Saint Albans, Missouri, there exists an anomaly of architecture that feels less like a Midwestern build and more like a recovered fragment of the Italian countryside. The estate at 1042 Wings Road, sprawling across 13.4 acres, stands as a modern tribute to the Tuscan…
10 Fastest Growing Cities in Missouri
Several Missouri towns are booming! Most are in the suburbs outside of St. Louis and Kansas City. These are the 10 Fastest Growing Cities in Missouri from the 2010 census to the 2020 census. Rank City 2020 Pop. 2010 Pop. Increase 1 Wentzville 39,414 29,070 35.58% 2 Kearney 9,790 8,381 16.81% 3 Dardenne Prairie 13,329…
Missouri’s Yellowstone Ranch: 164-Acre Luxury Equestrian Estate
Experience the pinnacle of equestrian excellence at Double Down Ranch. From its 18,000-square-foot master-crafted residence to a 60,000-square-foot climate-controlled arena—dubbed the finest in the world—this 164-acre Missouri estate is a rare masterpiece where rustic heritage meets world-class luxury.
Missouri Television History
Tuning In to the Show-Me State: A Deep Dive into Missouri’s TV Heritage Missouri’s television history is a story of “firsts.” From hosting one of the nation’s earliest stations to becoming a global hub for journalism training, the “Show Me State” has played a massive role in how Americans consume news and entertainment. 1. The…
The Bloodiest 47 Acres: Visiting the “Haunted” Missouri State Penitentiary
For 168 years, the Missouri State Penitentiary was a place you’d do anything to avoid. Today, however, “The Walls” stand as one of the most compelling historical sites in the Midwest. Opened in 1836 along the banks of the Missouri River in Jefferson City, the prison was already a veteran institution by the time the…
Missouri’s 200-Year-Old Typo (That No One Wants to Fix)
Why The State Flag Has A Major Error Hidden In Plain Sight If you have ever sat through one of my “Missouri Legends” talks, you know I can get a bit… passionate. Today, I’m leaning into some (mostly) faux internet outrage because I’ve uncovered a historical glitch hiding in plain sight. I am genuinely baffled…
Best St. Louis Cardinals Teams of All Time
The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most storied franchises in baseball, with a history of winning that dates back to the late 19th century. Even with all that success, the team has only won more than 100 games 9 times (which is 3rd most behind the Yankees and Dodgers). Below are the top…
First Town in Missouri With Electricity
The Night Missouri Switched on the Lights: The Story of the “Electric City” When we think of the late 19th-century “Electric Revolution,” our minds usually go straight to the bustling streets of New York or the laboratories of Thomas Edison. But for Missourians, the true spark of innovation happened in a much more unexpected place:…
Missouri’s Famous NASCAR Drivers
4 Legendary Drivers and 3 Iconic Tracks Missouri has produced some of the most legendary names in NASCAR history, ranging from technical masters to “big event” specialists. Here is a breakdown of the biggest racers from the Show-Me State. 1. Rusty Wallace (Fenton/ Fox High) Rusty Wallace is the undisputed king of Missouri racing. Born…
The Missouri Mansion That Lumber Built
The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Corinthian Hall If you’re walking through the historic Northeast neighborhood of Kansas City, it’s impossible to miss the limestone titan sitting on the cliffs overlooking the Missouri River valley. Corinthian Hall isn’t just a building; it’s a 72-room monument to the Gilded Age, a testament to a “self-made” empire,…
The Biggest Cities in Missouri 125 Years Ago
In 1900, Missouri was the 5th Most Populous State In 1900, Missouri was a powerhouse of the American Midwest. This era marked the height of the “Gilded Age” influence on the state, with St. Louis preparing to host the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympics. Kansas City was also rapidly expanding as a major rail hub.…
Inside The $49 Million “Evergreen Crystal Palace”
One Of The Most Striking Homes in Missouri Sits on a Cliff Overlooking Table Rock Lake Perched 200 feet above the shimmering waters of Table Rock Lake sits a structure that defies convention. The Evergreen Crystal Palace (also known as the Evergreen Lake Estate) isn’t just a home; it’s a 28,000-square-foot architectural statement. Sprawling across…
Best Places to Live in Missouri
The Top Towns To Call Home in the Show Me State NOTE: After getting hundreds of messages about this story, I think it’s important to point out that I have lived in over 25 places in Missouri, so I am a bit of an expert on this topic. And I can tell you that there…
The History of Soulard Mardi Gras
From a House Party to a Phenomenon While New Orleans may hold the crown, St. Louis officially stakes its claim as the second-largest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States. But before the corporate sponsorships and sea of beads, the festivities in the historic Soulard neighborhood began with a much humbler—and slightly more impromptu—spark. 1980:…
From Scandal to State Park: The Secret History of Echo Bluff
Why Missouri’s Newest State Park Was Once a “Forbidden” Destination For decades, this 476-acre stretch of land along Sinking Creek was a “hush-hush” destination for very different reasons. Long before it was a state park, it was home to Camp Zoe, a legendary youth camp that started in 1929. By the early 2000s, however, the…
Brief History of Soulard
On February 10, 1841: Julia Soulard begins giving land to the City of St. Louis for use as a public market. The story of the oldest public market west of the Mississippi isn’t just about fresh produce and local commerce; it’s a saga of colonial land grants, a decades-long legal battle, and the enduring vision…
Missourians in the 2026 Winter Olympics
Several Missouri natives and residents are competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy, with a heavy representation in ice hockey. Key athletes include NHL stars Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, Clayton Keller, and bobsledder Caleb Furnell. So if you don’t really know who or what to cheer for, at least you have some…
The Kansas City Castle in the Sky: A Look Inside Missouri’s Most Iconic Penthouse
6100 ft² on the 32nd, 33rd, 34th, and 35th Floors of 909 Walnut for $4,750,000 For the first time ever, a true legend of the Midwest skyline is opening its doors. This isn’t just a listing; it’s a historic event. Spanning the 32nd through 35th floors of the iconic 909 Walnut building, “The Kansas City…
19 Missouri Postcards That Show Our History
These “paper snapshots” act as a visual timeline of the Show-Me State’s evolution. Missouri’s story isn’t just found in history books; it’s captured in the saturated colors and handwritten scrawl of vintage postcards. Early postcards highlight Missouri’s identity as the “Gateway to the West.” Images of bustling St. Louis levee fronts and steamships on the…
The Wealthiest Zip Codes in Missouri
What are the wealthiest cities in Missouri? When it comes to wealth in Missouri, the St. Louis “West County” corridor and specific enclaves in Kansas City consistently hold the top spots. In addition to the big city zips, one area of Lake of the Ozarks is also a hot spot for the rich and famous.…
Vehicles Made in Missouri: Past & Present
From Corvette to El Camino to F-150: The History of Auto Manufacturing in Missouri Missouri has a deep-rooted history in automotive manufacturing. At one point, the Show Me State ranked second only to Detroit in production volume. Back in the day, St. Louis was a total car town. It didn’t just have one “Auto Row”—it…
Division Street: The Petty Reason Behind Springfield’s Most Famous Boundary
April 4th, 1887: Springfield and North Springfield become one city. Ever wonder why Springfield’s Division Street sounds so… literal? It’s not just a random name; it’s a scar from a decades-old rivalry. Back in the day, North Springfield and the city of Springfield were two totally separate towns, and for 15 years, they acted more…
Missouri’s White House: Inside the Gilded Age Grandeur of 25 Portland Place
The Crown Jewel of St. Louis Architecture Located in the prestigious Central West End, 25 Portland Place is a crown jewel of St. Louis architecture. This Beaux-Arts mansion, often referred to as the “City’s White House,” stands as a testament to the Gilded Age grandeur that defined the city at the turn of the 20th…
Inside the Rivercene Mansion: Mid-Missouri’s “Second Empire” Landmark
The Rivercene Mansion: A Steamboat Captain’s Grand Legacy Standing tall near New Franklin and Boonville, the Rivercene Mansion is more than just a historic residence—it is a masterpiece of Second Empire architecture. Built in 1869, this nearly square, two-story landmark is striking for its vibrant orange brickwork and distinctive slate mansard roof. The home’s grand…
Coldest Days in Missouri History
The Lowest Temperatures Ever Recorded in the Show Me State Missouri’s past is peppered with deep freezes that would make even Truman the Tiger reach for a wool scarf. In a strange twist of geographic irony, the state’s coldest day on record occurred in the same town that holds the record for the hottest: Warsaw.…
St. Louis City vs. County: The Nasty History of the 1876 Divorce
The Nasty Split — That Has Gotten Nastier Over The Years The idea of separating the city of St. Louis from St. Louis County was officially decided on August 22, 1876. Ironically, the reasons used to justify the “Great Divorce” are the same reasons many believe the two should get back together today. St. Louis…
Best Places to Ski and Ice Skate in Missouri
Here are the most fun locations to lace up the skis and the skates for some outdoor fun in the Show Me State. The snow and cold are here, so it’s time to get outside and enjoy some Winter activities in Missouri. If outdoor ice skating is your thing, there are several excellent options. The…
Biggest Snowfalls in Missouri History
The biggest “Single Storm” totals in Show Me State History If you live anywhere in the state of Missouri, you know the drill. It’s usually titled “The Blizzard of ’82,” “The Storm of the Century,” or that one specific “Bomb Cyclone” that buried your car for a week. The stores were sold out of bread…
Imperial Estate on the Missouri Bluffs
Missouri’s Hidden European Estate: The Historic Imperial Mansion on the Mississippi 110 Overlook Court in Imperial, Missouri, is a historic estate designed by the famous architectural firm Maritz & Young in 1928. The mansion is situated on 4 acres with stunning views of the Mississippi River. It feels like a European Estate, but this Missouri…
11 Oldest Settlements in Missouri Every History Buff Needs to See
Step Back in Time: The Oldest Towns in Missouri to Visit Today Rank City Founding Date 1. Sainte Genevieve 1735 2. St. Louis 1764 3. St. Charles 1769 4. New Madrid 1778 5. Florissant 1786 6. Herculaneum 1808 7. Jackson 1814 8. Franklin 1816 9t. Boonville 1817 9t. Clarksville 1817 9t. Marthasville (La Charrette) 1817…
The Missouri Mystery: Where Did The Phrase “The Show Me State” Come From?
The Secrets Behind Our Motto There are two things you need to know about The Show Me State motto: “The Show Me State” is a long-standing nickname for Missouri. It has come to define the state’s reputation for skepticism and pragmatism, even though most people don’t know where the phrase came from. In fact, nobody…
First Missouri Million Dollar Masterpiece
The Very First “Million Dollar Masterpiece” I Profiled is Back on the Market… and Much More Expensive 1318 South Jones Mill Lane, Springfield I started doing Million Dollar Masterpieces back in 2000 on Springfield 33 (KSPR). This was before home selling shows on HGTV were a really big deal. It was a blast and I…
The Slave-Owning Missourian Who Helped End Slavery
“…a slave-owning Missouri senator from a slave state was the co-author and co-sponsor of the bill that prohibited slavery in the United States.” Here is a story that changed the course of United States history, yet few people know how vital a Missourian was in making it happen. We largely recognize President Abraham Lincoln as…
Missouri’s Gilded Age Mansion on the Bluffs
Rockcliffe Mansion in Hannibal is one of the most stunning homes ever built in Missouri.
Missouri’s Borrowed City Names
Athens, Amsterdam, Monterey, Paris, and Versailles. I know exactly what you are thinking. Yes, those are some of the most picturesque places in Missouri. Let’s face it, the world has been around a lot longer than Missouri has been a state, so we were at a disadvantage when it came to naming cities and towns…
Reality TV Stars from Missouri
Missouri has had dozens of contestants in a variety of shows Why are there so many Reality TV Stars from Missouri? There are likely some reasons you don’t often think about. My TV agent once told me that there are so many network news anchors from Missouri. He explained that we don’t have a distinct…