1. In 1826, the town of Boonville was officially incorporated. Named after the famous frontiersman Daniel Boone, Boonville played an important role in Missouri's history as a gateway to the West during the 19th century.

2. On February 11, 1861, Missouri Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson addressed the General Assembly in Jefferson City, giving a speech in which he denounced President Lincoln and called for Missouri to secede from the Union. Jackson's speech reflected the deep divisions within the state over the issue of slavery and secession.

3. The year 1916 saw the founding of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a law enforcement agency tasked with ensuring public safety on the state's highways and waterways. Today, the Highway Patrol is one of the most respected and effective law enforcement agencies in the country.

4. On February 11, 1945, Missouri native General Matthew B. Ridgway assumed command of the 18th Airborne Corps in Europe during World War II. Ridgway later became commander of the 8th Army during the Korean War, and is regarded as one of America's greatest military leaders.

5. In 1987, the Missouri Tigers men's basketball team defeated the rival Kansas Jayhawks in a historic game at the Hearnes Center in Columbia. Led by future NBA star Derrick Chievous, the Tigers overcame a late deficit to earn a thrilling 77-71 victory, igniting a fierce rivalry between the two programs that persists to this day.