1. Missouri became the 24th state on February 26, 1821. The state was formed from a portion of the Missouri Territory, and the passage of the Missouri Compromise facilitated Missouri's admission to the union as a slave state.

2. On February 26, 1863, the Battle of Prairie Grove took place in northwest Arkansas near the Missouri border. Missouri soldiers fought on both sides of the conflict, and the Union victory helped prevent Confederate forces from advancing further into Missouri.

3. In 1915, Missouri Governor Elliott Major issued a proclamation designating February 26 as George Washington Day in Missouri. The day was intended to commemorate the first president's birthday and instill a spirit of patriotism in Missouri citizens.

4. February 26, 1968 marked a turning point in the civil rights movement, as St. Louis experienced some of the most violent race riots in its history. The rioting, which lasted for several days, was sparked by the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

5. On February 26, 1997, Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan signed a law establishing a state lottery. The lottery was designed to generate revenue for education and other state programs, and has since become a popular form of entertainment and a source of revenue for the state.