1. On October 16, 1859, abolitionist John Brown organized a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Although Brown's raid failed and he was ultimately hanged, his actions helped to ignite the American Civil War and cement his place in history.

2. On October 16, 1908, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (known as the "Katy") completed a new rail line linking Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas. This new connection helped to boost trade and commerce throughout the region.

3. On October 16, 1915, the first Missouri State Highway Patrol officer was sworn in. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was one of the first state law enforcement agencies in the United States to be created for the specific purpose of enforcing traffic laws.

4. On October 16, 1942, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction of the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. The 54,000-acre lake would become a popular recreation destination and a major economic driver for the region.

5. On October 16, 1979, Missouri Governor Joseph Teasdale signed a bill designating the Ozark hellbender as the state amphibian. The Ozark hellbender is a large salamander found only in the Ozarks region of Missouri and Arkansas, and is considered an important indicator of the health of the region's streams and rivers.