Missouri History Stories
The Missouri History Stories of things that have made the Show Me State great.
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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…
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Historic Missouri Church For Sale
This landmark dates back a century and was the home of a future pope for a time If you are in the market for a large home — then how about a massive…
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Missouri’s President for a Day: David Rice Atchison
Senator David Rice Atchison may have been the United States President for 24-hours. The official US records beg to differ. (Atchison) “…was on Sunday, by virtue of his office, President of the United…
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Kansas City Chiefs History
The Chiefs weren’t always in Missouri, but their legacy certainly is The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the National Football League’s most storied franchises. Their roots predate the NFL–AFL merger and a…
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Missouri’s Railroad Museums
Missouri has a rich railroading history. In fact, there are several railroad museums across the state that showcase that history.
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How Missouri Became More Than a Square
The Platte Purchase was so much bigger than it appears Missouri was supposed to be pretty much a square. But the bootheel and the Platte Purchase gave us the unusual shape we know…
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Missouri Towns That Changed Their Names
Several Towns Across Missouri Decided that Change Is Good The one thing that is constant – is change. Over the course of Missouri’s 200-plus years, several towns have changed their names. It happens…
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Missouri’s Historic Resorts and Hotels
Long before Lake of the Ozarks and Branson, this is where Missourians went on vacation There are dozens of historic resorts and hotels across Missouri that are a part of our legacy. Some…
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History of Lambert’s Cafe
The small Missouri restaurant that became a tourist attraction March 13th, 1942 was the opening day at the “Home of Throwed Rolls.” Lambert’s Cafe opened in Sikeston as a small cafe in southeast…
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Missouri License Plate history
Missouri has a long and storied history with motor vehicles. From Route 66 cutting through the Show Me State to the old Corvette plant in north St. Louis to the massive auto plants…
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The Missourian Who Was The Largest Landowner in America in 1900
Missourian John Sliker Bilby was the Land King John Sliker Bilby, Missouri’s Land Baron John Sliker Bilby was the real-life version of the John Dutton from the show Yellowstone – only bigger. Bilby…
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Missouri’s Most Famous Doctors
The Intriguing Reasons Why Missouri Is A Leader in Medicine In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the state became an unlikely cradle of medical innovation. The state produced pioneers whose ideas, practices,…
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The 100 Year History of Country Club Plaza Christmas Lights
Back in 1925, a string of lights at Country Club Plaza in Kansas City was lit. That small event paved the way for a tradition that continues today. The Country Club Plaza Christmas…
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Driving the “Genius Highway”
The Amazing History of Highway 36 in Northern Missouri It’s called the “Genius Highway” — and for good reason. Highway 36 across the northern part of Missouri is one of many great road…
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Mobile Phones Debuted in Missouri
1946: Car Phones debut in Missouri A Southwestern Bell worker testing mobile telephone service in St. Louis in 1946.Courtesy of AT&T Archives and History Center Here is a piece of history that may…
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Missouri’s Unusual Town Names
How did Missouri towns get such unusual names? There are hundreds of cities, towns, villages and municipalities in the state of Missouri. Some are major metro areas like St. Louis and Kansas City.…
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Kansas City “Day in History”
March 28, 1850: Kansas City is incorporated as a city. The largest city in the state of Missouri had humble beginnings but grew into a major metro area at the confluence of the…
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Why St. Charles Became the Temporary Capital of Missouri
The “battle” between the two areas was alive and well in the 1800s, too. St. Louis leaders were seen as arrogant. They assumed that St. Louis would be the capital of Missouri because…
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Red’s Giant Hamburg
Another Missouri First; The Drive-Thru Restaurant! There are some restaurants in Missouri where you “must” go if you want to consider yourself a well-rounded Missourian (and I mean well-rounded in a couple of…
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Strange Names of Towns in Missouri
We certainly have some strange names of towns in Missouri! You can always tell when someone new moves to the Show Me State because they pronounce everything wrong. Take for example: But in…
