Missouri From A To Z

There are lots of interesting things to learn and know about the state of Missouri. How much do you know? Here is a list of everything from A to Z.

A: Admission to Statehood

“Flag of Missouri”. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - Missouri became the 24th state in the U.S. on August 10, 1821.

B: Bluebird

“Eastern Bluebird-27527-2” by Ken Thomas - KenThomas.us(personal website of photographer). Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - The Missouri State Bird is the Bluebird.

C: Capital

“Jefferson City” by Sarah Minor, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - NRCS photo gallery (use search criteria “State: Missouri” and “Category: Urban” to locate image). Image name: NRCSMO02032. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - The capital of Missouri is Jefferson City.

D: Deer

“FEMA - 36502 - A deer in front of a levee in Missouri” by Jocelyn Augustino - This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - You will find deer (and deer hunting) all over Missouri.

E: Earthquake

“New Madrid Erdbeben” by http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/prepare/factsheets/NewMadrid/Woodcut.gif. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - The most powerful earthquake to ever strike the U.S. centered in New Madrid in 1811. The quake shook more than one million square miles, and was felt as far as 1,000 miles away.

F: Flowering Dogwood

Pixabay.com On June 20, 1955, the flowering dogwood (Cornus Florida L.) became Missouri’s official tree.

G: Gateway Arch

“St Louis night expblend cropped” by St_Louis_night_expblend.jpg: Daniel Schwenderivative work: ←fetchcomms - St_Louis_night_expblend.jpg. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - The Gateway Arch (or the Gateway to the West) is a 630-foot monument in St. Louis and is the world’s tallest arch, the tallest monument in the Western Hemisphere, and Missouri’s tallest accessible building. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States and it is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Over the years, it has become an internationally famous symbol of St. Louis.

H: Honey Bee

“Honey bee (Apis mellifera)” by Charlesjsharp - Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - On July 3, 1985, the honey bee became the state insect.

I: Interstate 70

“Interstate 70 at Route 180 west - St. Charles Rock Rd exit - Bridgeton, Missouri, 1999” by Dwaynep2010 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - St. Charles claims to be the site of the first interstate highway project, when they started Interstate 70 in 1956. Such highway construction created middle class expansion to newer suburbs through inexpensive former farmland, and the overall growth and accessibility of the cities.

J: Journalism

“Jschool-quad” by Mojourcomm - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - The University Of Missouri School Of Journalism in Columbia is the oldest formal journalism school in the world. The school opened in 1908 and was based in Switzler Hall. In 1910, the school began its Journalism Week celebration. The first building formally assigned to the school was built in 1919. In 1921, the school offered the world’s first master’s degree in journalism, in 1930 it created the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism and in 1934, it offered the world’s first Doctor of Philosophy degree in journalism.

K: Kansas City

“Firefighters Fountain Kansas City MO” by User:Charvex - Own work (Photo by author). Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - Kansas City has more miles of boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any city except Rome. It also has more miles of freeway per capita than any metro area with more than one million residents.

L: Lake of the Ozarks

“Lake of the Ozarks, MO Party Cove 03” by Ben Jacobson (Kranar Drogin) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - The Lake of the Ozarks is a large man-made reservoir with a surface area of 54,000 acres, and 1,150 miles of shoreline. At the time of its construction it was one of the largest man-made lakes in the world and the largest in the United States. The main channel of the Osage Arm stretches 92 miles from end to end, and the total drainage area is over 14,000 square miles. The nickname “The Magic Dragon” has been given to the lake due to its serpentine shape. It was created by the construction of the 2,543-foot long Bagnell Dam by Union Electric Company of St. Louis from 1929 to 1931.

M: Mozarkite (and Mule)

“Mozarkite” by Astynax - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - Mozarkite was adopted as the official state rock on July 21, 1967. The state animal is the mule.

N: Neighborly

pdf.mrprintables.com Missouri ties with Tennessee as the most neighborly state in the union, bordered by 8 states: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

O: Origin of Name

“Bodmer Missouria Otoe Ponca Indians” by Missouri_indian_Oto_indian_and_chief_of_the_Puncas_0040v.jpg: Karl Bodmerderivative work: Uyvsdi (talk) - Missouri_indian_Oto_indian_and_chief_of_the_Puncas_0040v.jpg. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - Missouri is named after a tribe called the Missouri Indians. It means “big canoe people” in the language of their Illini neighbors. The Missouri are original people of Missouri, Kansas and Iowa and share a single nation with the Otoe tribe. Today the Otoes and Missouris live on a reservation in Oklahoma, which is land that belongs to them and is under their control. The Otoe-Missouria tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However, the Missouris are also US citizens and must obey American law. The state of Missouri and the Missouri River are named for the tribe.

P: The Pony Express

“Pony Express Map William Henry Jackson” by William Henry Jackson - Illustration: William Henry Jackson, American artist. Text: Howard Roscoe Driggs. Scan: US Library of CongressPhoto image obtained/rendered by Gwillhickers. Restoration by Crisco 1492. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - The Pony Express began in Missouri in 1860.

Q: BBQ (I know…a bit of a stretch)

“Brisket (3849368711)” by Jeremy Noble from St. Paul, United States - BrisketUploaded by Fæ. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons - Missouri, and especially Kansas City are known for their particular style of barbecue.

R: Rivers

“Mo rivers2” by Kmusser - Self-made, based on USGS data.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Commons - Missouri’s river system is vast and beautiful. Major rivers include the Current River, Mississippi River, Missouri River, Osage River, and St. Francis River.

S: Show Me State

“Missouri 1984 SYJ 526” by Jaycarlcooper - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - Missouri is known as the Show Me State.

T: Truman

“Harry S Truman - NARA - 530677 (2)” by Unknown or not provided - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - Harry S. Truman (b.1884-d.1972) was the 33rd president of the United States and the only one in history who was born in Missouri.

U: University

“Slu northeast quarter” by Wilson Delgado - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - Saint Louis University received a formal charter from the state of Missouri in 1832, making it the oldest university west of the Mississippi.

V: Vandiver

http://www.semo.edu/president/history/vandiver.html

slideshare.net Willard Duncan Vandiver was the Congressman who in 1899 popularized the ‘Show Me State’ expression.

W: World’s Fair

“Louisiana Purchase Exposition St. Louis 1904” by David R. Francis (book author) - The Universal Exposition of 1904 (St. Louis: Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company, 1905), p. 91. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis in 1904. It promoted entertainment, consumer goods and popular culture, and is credited as being the origin of many popular foods including the waffle-style ice-cream cone, the hamburger and hotdog, peanut butter, iced tea, and cotton candy among others.

X: X-Treme Sports

Funmissouri.com Water skiing, skydiving, bungee jumping, snowboarding and so much more, Missouri represents for all of those in love with extreme sports.

Y: Younger Brothers

“John Younger 2” by Cole Younger. No photo credit. The Henneberry Company 1903 - The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of Cole Younger, by Himself by Cole Younger - http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24585/24585-h/24585-h.html. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -

“Younger family siblings cph.3b05693” by Unknown - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3b05693.This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - The Younger Brothers were sibling outlaws that at one time were associated with Jesse James and his gang.

Z: Zebra (Isn’t Z always for zebra?)

http://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/ You can see a zebra at one of Missouri’s many zoos.

Did you learn anything new? Think of any of other facts the letters could stand for? Share in the comments below.

“Flag of Missouri”. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -

Missouri became the 24th state in the U.S. on August 10, 1821.

“Eastern Bluebird-27527-2” by Ken Thomas - KenThomas.us(personal website of photographer). Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -

The Missouri State Bird is the Bluebird.

The capital of Missouri is Jefferson City.

“FEMA - 36502 - A deer in front of a levee in Missouri” by Jocelyn Augustino - This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons -

You will find deer (and deer hunting) all over Missouri.

“New Madrid Erdbeben” by http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/prepare/factsheets/NewMadrid/Woodcut.gif. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -

The most powerful earthquake to ever strike the U.S. centered in New Madrid in 1811. The quake shook more than one million square miles, and was felt as far as 1,000 miles away.

Pixabay.com

On June 20, 1955, the flowering dogwood (Cornus Florida L.) became Missouri’s official tree.

“St Louis night expblend cropped” by St_Louis_night_expblend.jpg: Daniel Schwenderivative work: ←fetchcomms - St_Louis_night_expblend.jpg. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons -

The Gateway Arch (or the Gateway to the West) is a 630-foot monument in St. Louis and is the world’s tallest arch, the tallest monument in the Western Hemisphere, and Missouri’s tallest accessible building. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States and it is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Over the years, it has become an internationally famous symbol of St. Louis.

“Honey bee (Apis mellifera)” by Charlesjsharp - Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons -

On July 3, 1985, the honey bee became the state insect.

“Interstate 70 at Route 180 west - St. Charles Rock Rd exit - Bridgeton, Missouri, 1999” by Dwaynep2010 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons -

St. Charles claims to be the site of the first interstate highway project, when they started Interstate 70 in 1956. Such highway construction created middle class expansion to newer suburbs through inexpensive former farmland, and the overall growth and accessibility of the cities.

“Jschool-quad” by Mojourcomm - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -

The University Of Missouri School Of Journalism in Columbia is the oldest formal journalism school in the world. The school opened in 1908 and was based in Switzler Hall. In 1910, the school began its Journalism Week celebration. The first building formally assigned to the school was built in 1919. In 1921, the school offered the world’s first master’s degree in journalism, in 1930 it created the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism and in 1934, it offered the world’s first Doctor of Philosophy degree in journalism.

“Firefighters Fountain Kansas City MO” by User:Charvex - Own work (Photo by author). Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons -

Kansas City has more miles of boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any city except Rome. It also has more miles of freeway per capita than any metro area with more than one million residents.

“Lake of the Ozarks, MO Party Cove 03” by Ben Jacobson (Kranar Drogin) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons -

The Lake of the Ozarks is a large man-made reservoir with a surface area of 54,000 acres, and 1,150 miles of shoreline. At the time of its construction it was one of the largest man-made lakes in the world and the largest in the United States. The main channel of the Osage Arm stretches 92 miles from end to end, and the total drainage area is over 14,000 square miles. The nickname “The Magic Dragon” has been given to the lake due to its serpentine shape. It was created by the construction of the 2,543-foot long Bagnell Dam by Union Electric Company of St. Louis from 1929 to 1931.

“Mozarkite” by Astynax - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -

Mozarkite was adopted as the official state rock on July 21, 1967. The state animal is the mule.

pdf.mrprintables.com

Missouri ties with Tennessee as the most neighborly state in the union, bordered by 8 states: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

Missouri is named after a tribe called the Missouri Indians. It means “big canoe people” in the language of their Illini neighbors. The Missouri are original people of Missouri, Kansas and Iowa and share a single nation with the Otoe tribe. Today the Otoes and Missouris live on a reservation in Oklahoma, which is land that belongs to them and is under their control. The Otoe-Missouria tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However, the Missouris are also US citizens and must obey American law. The state of Missouri and the Missouri River are named for the tribe.

The Pony Express began in Missouri in 1860.

“Brisket (3849368711)” by Jeremy Noble from St. Paul, United States - BrisketUploaded by Fæ. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons -

Missouri, and especially Kansas City are known for their particular style of barbecue.

“Mo rivers2” by Kmusser - Self-made, based on USGS data.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Commons -

Missouri’s river system is vast and beautiful. Major rivers include the Current River, Mississippi River, Missouri River, Osage River, and St. Francis River.

“Missouri 1984 SYJ 526” by Jaycarlcooper - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons -

Missouri is known as the Show Me State.

“Harry S Truman - NARA - 530677 (2)” by Unknown or not provided - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -

Harry S. Truman (b.1884-d.1972) was the 33rd president of the United States and the only one in history who was born in Missouri.

“Slu northeast quarter” by Wilson Delgado - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -

Saint Louis University received a formal charter from the state of Missouri in 1832, making it the oldest university west of the Mississippi.

http://www.semo.edu/president/history/vandiver.html

slideshare.net

Willard Duncan Vandiver was the Congressman who in 1899 popularized the ‘Show Me State’ expression.

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis in 1904. It promoted entertainment, consumer goods and popular culture, and is credited as being the origin of many popular foods including the waffle-style ice-cream cone, the hamburger and hotdog, peanut butter, iced tea, and cotton candy among others.

Funmissouri.com

Water skiing, skydiving, bungee jumping, snowboarding and so much more, Missouri represents for all of those in love with extreme sports.

The Younger Brothers were sibling outlaws that at one time were associated with Jesse James and his gang.

http://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/

You can see a zebra at one of Missouri’s many zoos.

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