Powell Hall History
January 24, 1968: Powell Hall converts from a movie theater to a Symphony Hall. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra played its first-ever concert the night after the legendary theater was re-opened as a symphony hall. It was formerly known as St. Louis Theater, but was renamed as Powell Hall for local businessman Walter Powell when…
Missouri S&T History
On November 23, 1871, the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy opened in Rolla. It was one of the first universities in the country to specialize in technology and engineering thanks in large part to the Morrill Act of 1862. The college was designed around sciences, especially mining, due to the large industrial needs in…
Brief History of Jefferson City
How Jefferson City Became the State Capital Jefferson City is the first and only city “created” to be the seat of government in United States history. Jefferson City was not even a town when the site was chosen to be the State Capital leading up to Missouri’s statehood. The area along the Missouri River was…
The Namesake for Raytown
January 18, 1808: William Ray is born. The name of William Ray may not be recognizable to most people, although the bustling town on the outskirts of Kansas City that was named in his honor sure is. Ray moved to Jackson County from Ohio to open a blacksmith shop along the Santa Fe Trail. He…
Sara Evans Hits #1
January 17, 2001: “Born to Fly” hits number one for Sara Evans. Sara Evans was on top of the charts and on top of the world back in 2001. The former Columbia residents and central Missouri native hit number one for the first time with the song, “Born to Fly,” which also earned Evans her…
Missouri’s Wine Growing Regions
In Missouri, there are five recognized American Viticultural Areas (AVA). In fact, Missouri is home to the country’s first AVA, according to the Missouri Wine website. These are regions established by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. They include: The Grapes In Missouri The Norton grape was named the official state grape of…
History of Missouri Wines
Missouri wines are getting more famous. But this overnight success story dates back to the 1830s. This is part 1 of a 3 part story on Missouri’s Wine Country. Click for Part 2 and Part 3 This history of the Missouri Wine industry is like something out of a movie. In fact, it was recently…
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 it was a wealthy and powerful city. But outstate leaders were wary of giving St. Louis more power and decided they were…
Brief History of St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri, has a rich and diverse history that spans centuries. Here’s a brief overview of the history of St. Louis. Early History The area where St. Louis is located was inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Mississippian culture, prior to European exploration. In 1673, French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette reached…
Brief History of University of Missouri-Columbia
The Flagship Campus of the University of Missouri System The University of Missouri, located in Columbia, commonly known as Mizzou, is the flagship campus of the University of Missouri System. Here’s a brief history of the University of Missouri-Columbia: Founding and Early Years (1839-1860): The University of Missouri was founded in 1839, making it the…
A Little Bit of Kirkwood History
Kirkwood was the First Planned Suburban Community West of the Mississippi River Kirkwood is one of the most idyllic towns in the entire state of Missouri. It is like something out of a Hallmark movie, especially during the holidays. From tree-lined streets with historic homes, to a vibrant downtown, a world-class children’s museum, and a…
Grant Wistrom Wins Lombardi Award
On December 11, 1997, Grant Wistrom wins the Lombardi Award as the nation’s top collegiate lineman. The Webb City native played college football at Nebraska from 1994 – 1997 where h won three national championships before being drafted 6th overall by the St. Louis Rams in 1998. He also won two state championships in high…
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
December 11, 1933: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art opened in Kansas City 2023 Marked the 90th anniversary of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art which helped put the Kansas City arts scene on the international map when it opened. It is recognized for the iconic badminton shuttlecocks on the lawn and loved by people around the…
Mizzou v. Illinois: Braggin’ Rights
December 10, 1980: The first Braggin’ Rights basketball game. The first Braggin’ Rights game was held in St. Louis between the Mizzou Tigers and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. Although the teams have a rivalry dating back to 1932, things escalated a notch when the annual match-up moved to a neutral site midway between…
History: Branson Appears on 60 Minutes
On December 8, 1991, 60 Minutes put Branson in the national spotlight. “If are wondering ‘why Branson? ‘no one knows why.“ -60 Minutes Branson got national attention after a profile about the city called “The Sound of Music.” The CBS News program profiled the small town in the Missouri Ozark Mountains and explained to Americans…
Brief History of Missouri
Prelude to Statehood Missouri’s official history as a state began to take shape in the early 1800s, but the true history dates back further than history books. This diverse geographic area, with plains to the north and mountains to the south, dotted with thousands of caves, and surrounded by the biggest and longest rivers in…
Most Expensive Colleges in Missouri
There are 67 colleges or universities in the state of Missouri. Many are 4-year public institutions, while a smaller number are 2-year programs or private colleges. Missouri boasts the first college west of the Mississippi River in St. Louis University as well as some of the earliest medical and law schools in the country. We…
Biggest High Schools in Missouri
The biggest high schools in the state of Missouri in 2023-2024 as ranked by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Many of the districts are in growing suburban areas near St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield. Here is the list of the 25 biggest high schools in Missouri according to the Department of…
David Eckstein One-On-One
St. Louis Cardinals legend David Eckstein has one of the most amazing stories of any athlete you will ever meet. He performance in the 2006 World Series won him an MVP and made him a Missouri Legend. David and his wife, Ashley, are good friends of my family. So we did the coolest interview I’ve…
Hunter Gary House in Kansas City
One of the most historically significant mansions in Kansas City is now one of the most expensive homes ever to hit the market in Missouri. It is now listed for $9,350,000. “The Hunter Gary House” in Sunset Hill has hosted amazing events and famous people over the years and it could now be yours. Gary…
Astronauts from Missouri
Missourians have always had their eyes to the skies. Even the most famous telescope of all time, the Hubble Space Telescope, is named after a Missourian, Edwin Hubble of Marshfield. Some of our best and brightest Missouri Legends have made it all the way to the pinnacle of a space career. These are the Astronauts…
Hall Brook Farms
Missouri Mansions Series The Hall Brook Farms mansion east of Joplin is one of the biggest homes in the state of Missouri. It boasts more than 16,000 square feet, but the size is just the beginning of this amazing home. When the home was originally built, it sat on more than 200 acres with a…
Jones Mansion in Ladue
The massive mansion in Ladue known as the Chateau Deux Sources is one of the biggest homes in the state of Missouri. The residence boasts more than 30,000-square feet of living space on 4 acres and has more amenities than you could ever list on paper. Chateau Deux Sources is french for Castle of the…
Furminator House
Missouri Mansions Series 1705 N. Woodlawn Avenue, Ladue The town of Ladue in St. Louis County is known as one of the wealthiest towns in the United States. Many of the homes are more than 10,000 square feet and sit on beautifully manicured properties. But one in particular stands out for its size and beauty.…
Current NHL Players from Missouri (2023-24)
Missouri hasn’t had a long history of producing professional hockey players until recently. And now, some of the best in the league are from the Show Me State. Part of the reason for the sudden boom in NHL caliber players comes down to the St. Louis Blues. They run camps for all ages and the…
Missouri’s Small Town Mansions
We have all seen images of the massive mansion in Missouri’s largest cities. But there are magnificent homes and estates all across the Show Me State. Here are some of the amazing mansions in Missouri’s Small Towns. If there is a price tag, it is currently on the market or recently sold. Missouri Mansion’s Galleries
The “Other” Great St. Louis Bank Robbery
Where is the stolen $847,000? This is a piece of Missouri history that still is not solved. On October 23rd, 1992, nearly $1,000,000 was stolen from a bank in St. Louis. Neither the money, nor the robbers, have been found yet. Even though it happened in a busy building in the middle of downtown St.…
Current NBA Players From Missouri High Schools
Missouri has produced several talented NBA players over the past few decades. Current players like Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal are some of the best in the league, while coaches like Tyron Lue are leading their teams to championship seasons. In fact, one of the most legendary names in the history of basketball, “Phog” Allen,…
Why Missouri is the “Cave State”
There are over 7,500 caves within Missouri, according to the Department of Natural Resources, giving us the moniker of “the Cave State.” This number makes Missouri one of the most cave-rich states in the United States. An estimated 6,000 of these have been explored, although many of these are on private property or too small…
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 ways!) Names like Lambert’s Café, Ted Drewes, Shakespeare’s Pizza, Top of the Rock, Arthur Bryant’s BBQ, and Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill…
Current NFL Players from Missouri (2023-24)
The Show Me State has a long history of producing great NFL talent. Names like Trent Green, Grant Wistrom, Jeremy Maclin, Tony Galbreath, and Andy Russell all grew up right here in Missouri. They have passed along the game to the next generation and Missouri is represented well. Here are the current NFL players from…
Most Haunted Places in Missouri
Some people believe in ghosts, others are skeptical. So finding the most haunted places in Missouri can be a difficult task, because believers of the paranormal believe they know where the most haunted places are while others will say there are NO haunted locations. So the best way to go about ranking haunted sites is…
Supermodels from Missouri
When it comes to fashion, most people don’t immediately think about the Show Me State. But when you look at Missouri’s history, you soon realize we have an high number of fashion icons from here. Here’s how I came to this realization. I was researching a recent story about the old garment district in downtown…
Missouri’s Best High Schools for Sports
Here are Missouri’s Best High Schools for Sports in 2023-24, based on data from Niche. The rankings include a number of factors, including: School City Classification 1. CBC – Christian Brothers College High School Town and Country Private-Boys 1. CBC – Christian Brothers College High School Frontenac Private-Girls 3. Rockhurst High School Kansas City Private-Boys…
Missouri Towns Under the Lakes
Missouri’s lakes are some of the most beautiful in the world. But beneath the calm waters are dozens of Missouri towns under the lakes.
Gasconade Bridge Train Disaster
The Trip A tragic incident took place on the railway line in Gasconade, Missouri, on November 1, 1855, as a trip of celebration turned into a disastrous crash. It’s known as the “Gasconade Bridge Train Disaster.” The rail line had finally been established between St. Louis and Jefferson City and a group of 600 riders…
Best High Schools In Missouri
A news ranking by U.S. News and World Report shows the best high schools in Missouri in 2023. They actually rank the entire country, but these are the ranking broken down by the Show Me State. Schools were evaluated and ranked based on a variety of criteria, including standardized test scores, parent and student surveys,…
Missouri’s Healing Springs:
Most people may not realize this, but Missouri has been on the forefront of “alternative” health for more than 100 years. Osteopathic Medicine was developed in Kirksville but Dr. Andrew Taylor Still as a way to treat illness within the context of the whole body. A man from Mill Spring named Bernarr MacFadden practically invented…
Missouri Colleges and Universities with Highest ACT Scores
Here is the list of Missouri Colleges and Universities with the Highest ACT Scores according to Prep Scholar in 2023. Washington University — 34 Missouri S&T — 28 Saint Louis University — 28 Truman State University – 27 Drury University – 26 Stephens College – 26 University of Missouri – Columbia — 26 Rockhurst University…
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 addition to those names, there sure are some strange names of towns in Missouri, as well! Here are a few of the…
Best Hometowns in Missouri
What are the Best Hometowns in Missouri? Here are the three towns that made the national list in 2023.
The Mississippi River Monster
It was August 19, 1877 and reports of a “sea serpent” were echoing across the frontier town of St. Louis. This Mississippi River Monster was reportedly spotted in the Mississippi River by several people along the banks, so word spread fast. The story was apparently credible enough, or at least believable enough, that the St. Louis Globe Democrat even wrote a story about it later.
Most Populated Counties in Missouri
Here are the 10 most populated counties in Missouri (along with the next 10 for good measure!) according to the 2022 Census Population Estimates.
Fastest Growing Cities in Missouri
10 Fastest Growing Cities in Missouri(pop. greater and 7,000) City 2010 2018 Growth Rate
Biggest Lakes in Missouri
The Biggest Lakes in Missouri (by acreage) There are an estimated 568 lakes across the state of Missouri. Many are small lakes that only a few people know about, while others are massive that attract millions of people. There are also 9 hydroelectric dams in the Show Me State that still produce electricity. And that…
Oldest Counties in Missouri
Top 10 Oldest Counties in Missouri Top 10 Oldest Counties in Missouri(Note: The Top 5 were the Original 5 Counties in Missouri) County Date New Madrid County 1812 Cape Girardeau County 1812 Saint Charles County 1812 Saint Louis County 1812 Ste. Genevieve County 1812 Washington County 1813 Howard County 1816 Franklin County 1818 Wayne County…
Airports in Missouri
We are all familiar with the big airports in Missouri, but here is the list of all the airports across the Show Me State.
Brief History of Springfield
Springfield, Missouri, is a city located in the southwestern part of the state. It is the third-largest city in Missouri and serves as the county seat of Greene County. Here’s a brief overview of the history of Springfield. Early History: The area where Springfield is situated was initially inhabited by Native American tribes, including the…
Brief History of Kansas City
Kansas City is the largest city in Missouri in both population and size. Although the bulk of the metro area, there are significant developments taking place in Kansas as well. The city has a population of more than 450,000 people and is the 37th largest city in the United States as of the 2020 census.…