1. In 1864, Confederate General Sterling Price launched his campaign into Missouri during the Civil War. His forces defeated Union forces at the Battle of Lone Jack but were ultimately pushed back and defeated by Union General Samuel Curtis.

2. In 1906, a tornado struck the town of Cleveland, Missouri, killing 16 people and causing significant damage to buildings throughout the area.

3. On August 22, 1912, the famous outlaw, Jesse James' mother, Zerelda Samuel, passed away at the age of 85, in Kearney, Missouri.

4. In 1957, the first nuclear reactor in Missouri was completed and began operation at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Known as the MURR (Missouri University Research Reactor), it remains one of the most powerful university-based research reactors in the country.

5. On August 22, 2005, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed into law a statewide smoking ban, which prohibited smoking in most public spaces, including restaurants and bars. The law went into effect in 2007 and helped to reduce smoking rates and improve air quality throughout the state.