March 14th This Day in Missouri

On March 14, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:

• 1806: St. Louis, a growing Missouri outpost, supported spring trade with Native American tribes, though no specific event is noted for this date.
• 1856: Missouri’s “Border Ruffians” raided Kansas anti-slavery settlers in “Bleeding Kansas,” intensifying territorial clashes as spring brought renewed conflict.
• 1861: Union General Henry W. Halleck in St. Louis fortified federal control, while Confederate guerrillas in rural Missouri prepared for spring offensives, heightening tensions.
• 1864: Confederate General Sterling Price’s Missouri forces in Arkansas planned spring campaigns, with Missouri itself remaining quiet under Union dominance.
• 1888: The Missouri Pacific Railroad’s southeast Missouri lines, linking Cape Girardeau to markets, spurred economic activity, with mid-March rail operations robust.
• 1929: Missouri’s Kansas City and St. Louis faced Great Depression hardships, with spring relief initiatives aiming to provide employment through public works.
• 1941: Post-Pearl Harbor, Missouri’s St. Louis and Kansas City boosted World War II efforts, with factories expanding military output and recruitment drives gaining traction.