March 2nd This Day in Missouri

On March 2, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:

• 1806: St. Louis traders, central to the fur trade, likely engaged in early spring preparations with Native American partners, though no specific Missouri event is recorded for this date.
• 1856: During “Bleeding Kansas,” Missouri’s pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” escalated cross-border skirmishes with Kansas anti-slavery settlers, stoking violence as spring approached.
• 1861: In St. Louis, Union General Henry W. Halleck oversaw federal efforts to secure Missouri, while rural Confederate guerrillas began planning spring raids, deepening the state’s Civil War tensions.
• 1864: In Arkansas, Confederate General Sterling Price’s Missouri units focused on rebuilding after their failed campaign, with minimal activity in Missouri as spring strategies formed.
• 1888: Southeast Missouri’s Missouri Pacific Railroad expansion facilitated trade through towns like Cape Girardeau, with early March seeing steady growth in regional commerce.
• 1929: Missouri’s urban centers, Kansas City and St. Louis, faced mounting unemployment during the Great Depression, with local charities launching spring relief initiatives.
• 1941: Post-Pearl Harbor, Missouri’s industrial hubs, St. Louis and Kansas City, intensified wartime production, with early March marking increased military contract activity.