1803: The U.S. completes the Louisiana Purchase from France including land that eventually became Missouri.
1804: The Lewis and Clark Expedition begins near St. Louis.
1805: St. Louis becomes the seat of government for the Territory of Louisiana.
1808: The first newspaper in Missouri is founded in St. Louis called the “Missouri Gazette”.
1811: New Madrid fault erupts with a massive earthquake.
1812: The Missouri Territory is created by Congress.
1812: Missouri’s five original counties are organized. They were Cape Girardeau, New Madrid, St. Charles, St. Louis, and Ste. Genevieve.
1817: The first steamboat to make its way up the Mississippi River above the Ohio River reaches St. Louis. It was the Steamboat Zebulon Pike.
1818: The first petition requesting Missouri statehood is presented to Congress.
1818: Academy of the Sacred Heart school is founded in St. Charles.
1820: The “Missouri Compromise” is signed.
1820: Missouri‘s first Constitution is adopted.
1820: The first Missouri General Assembly begins work at the Missouri Hotel in St. Louis.
1821: Missouri enters the United States as the 24th state.
1821: St. Charles begins operating as Missouri’s first capital.
1822: The Great Seal of the State of Missouri is adopted.
1826: Jefferson City becomes Missouri‘s permanent seat of government. Jefferson City is the only town in the U.S. created to be the capital city.
1826: Rocheport is established.
1829: Philadelphia is founded. The town was later renamed Arrow Rock.
1831: Mormons begin moving to Independence area.
1832: St. Louis University is founded as first university west of the Mississippi.
1835: Missouri passed a bill stating that “all free persons of color had to apply for a freedom license.”
1836: First prisoner arrives at the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City.
1836: Warrensburg is established.
1837: Hermann becomes a settlement, establishing Missouri’s wine industry.
1837: Northwest Missouri adds thousands of acres with the Platte Purchase.
1837: First Capitol in Jefferson City destroyed by fire.
1838: Springfield becomes a town.
1838: Governor Lilburn Boggs of Columbia issues the “Mormon Extermination Order”.
1839: 4-year old Samuel Clemens and his family move to Hannibal.
1839: The Geyer Act is approved becoming the foundation of Missouri’s public school system.
1841: The University of Missouri opens in Columbia.
1842: Carthage established along Spring River east of Joplin.
1844: Great Missouri flood destroys the Independence wharves.
1844: Governor Thomas Reynolds of Fayette commits suicide.
1844: Missouri bans free blacks from settling in the state.
1847: Approval for a hospital to care for the insane with State Hospital No. 1 in Fulton.
1847: St. Louis gets connected to the East Coast by telegraph.
1848: Ulysses S. Grant and Julia Dent get married in St. Louis.
1849: Missouri Senator David Rice Atchison of Liberty is “President for a day.”
1849: Cholera epidemic kills 4,000 in St. Louis.
1849: Great fire of St. Louis.
1849: Bellefontaine Cemetery is established. It became the cemetery for rich and famous St. Louisans.
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