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Missouri,
named after the Missouri Siouan Indian tribe
meaning "town of the large canoes", is a central state in the United States. It
is a state with both Midwestern
 and Southern cultural influences, reflecting its
history as a border state between the two
regions. The state's nickname is the Show-Me State, first recorded in 1894. The
Mississippi and Missouri rivers are the two large rivers which flow through the
state.
Missouri's border physically
touches a total of eight different states (as does its neighbor, Tennessee. No
states in the U.S. touch more than eight states). It is bounded on the north by
Iowa; on the east, across the Mississippi River, by Illinois, Kentucky, and
Tennessee; on the south by Arkansas; and on the west by Oklahoma, Kansas, and
Nebraska (the latter across the Missouri River.)
Originally part of the
Louisiana Purchase, Missouri was admitted as a state in 1821 as part of the
Missouri Compromise. It earned the nickname "Gateway to the West"
 because it
served as a departure point for settlers heading to the west. It was the
starting point and the return destination of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
During the Civil War, Missouri, a slave state, remained in the Union, but
sentiment was split with a significant portion of the populace supporting the
Confederate cause.
Major industries include
aerospace, transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals,
printing/publishing, electrical equipment, light manufacturing, and beer.
Missouri's economy rests chiefly on industry. Aerospace and transportation
equipment are the main manufactures; food products, chemicals, printing and
publishing, machinery, fabricated metals, and electrical equipment are also
important. St. Louis is an important center for the manufacture of metals and
chemicals. In Kansas City, long a leading market for livestock and
 wheat, the
manufacture of vending machines and of cars and trucks are leading industries.
Coal in the west and north
central sections, lead in the southeast, and zinc in the southwest are among the
resources exploited by Missouri's mining concerns. Lead (Missouri has been the
top U.S. producer), cement, and stone are the chief minerals produced.
Missouri remains important
agriculturally; with over 100,000 farms, the state ranks second only to Texas.
The most valuable farm products are soybeans, corn, cattle, hogs, wheat, and
dairy items. Soybeans bring in the most cash for Missourians as a crop. The
development of resorts in the Ozarks, including Branson and several lakes, has
boosted tourism income.
Jefferson National Expansion
Memorial consists of the Gateway Arch, the Museum of
 Westward Expansion, and St.
Louis' Old Courthouse. During a nationwide competition in 1947-48, architect Eero Saarinen's inspired design for a 630-foot stainless steel arch was chosen
as a perfect monument to the spirit of the western pioneers. Construction of the
Arch began in 1963 and was completed on October 28, 1965. The Arch has
foundations sunken 60 feet into the ground, and is built to withstand
earthquakes and high winds. It sways up to one inch in a 20 mph wind, and is
built to sway up to 18 inches.
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Fast Facts
Population: 5,800,310
State capital: Jefferson
City
Largest Cities: Kansas City
Saint Louis
Springfield
State bird: Bluebird
State song: Missouri Waltz
State musical
instrument: Fiddle
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