February 19th This Day in Missouri

On February 19, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:

• 1806: Zebulon Pike’s expedition, launched from St. Louis to explore the southern Louisiana Purchase, continued its winter trek through the Arkansas River region, with no specific Missouri event noted, likely due to the season’s low activity.
• 1856: In the “Bleeding Kansas” conflict, Missouri’s pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” sustained raids on Kansas anti-slavery settlers, aiming to shape the territory’s slavery debate through ongoing violence.
• 1861: Union General Henry W. Halleck, operating from St. Louis, reinforced federal control over Missouri, while Confederate guerrillas in rural areas intensified winter attacks, deepening the state’s Civil War divides.
• 1864: After Confederate General Sterling Price’s failed Missouri campaign, his forces, including Missouri units, focused on winter reorganization in Arkansas, with little activity occurring in Missouri.
• 1888: The Missouri Pacific Railroad’s expansion in southeast Missouri, linking Cape Girardeau to national trade networks, drove economic growth, with rail operations active in mid-February.
• 1929: The Great Depression hit Missouri hard, with Kansas City and St. Louis facing rampant unemployment and business closures, as local relief efforts struggled to support communities in winter.
• 1941: Post-Pearl Harbor, Missouri’s St. Louis and Kansas City accelerated World War II mobilization, with factories ramping up military production and enlistment drives expanding rapidly.