1. The Battle of Kirksville occurred on July 3, 1862 during the American Civil War. Union forces were able to repel Confederate attacks and maintain control of northeastern Missouri.

2. In 1926, the first drive-in theater in the United States opened in Camden County, Missouri. The theater was called the Theatre-In-Air and could hold up to 500 cars.

3. On July 3, 1950, the famous author, Ernest Hemingway, survived two plane crashes in two days while on a safari in Africa. He sustained serious injuries but eventually made a full recovery.

4. On July 3, 1975, a train derailment in West Alton, Missouri caused a massive explosion that could be heard for miles. The explosion killed six people and caused widespread damage to the surrounding area.

5. In 1984, the St. Louis Cardinals retired the jersey number of legendary player Stan Musial on July 3 in a ceremony at Busch Stadium. Musial played for the Cardinals for 22 seasons and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time.