March 15th This Day in Missouri

On March 15, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:

• 1806: St. Louis traders prepared for spring fur trade expeditions, vital to Missouri’s early economy, though no specific event is recorded for this date.
• 1856: In “Bleeding Kansas,” Missouri’s pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” continued raids on Kansas anti-slavery settlers, fueling violent territorial disputes in mid-March.
• 1861: Union General Henry W. Halleck, based in St. Louis, reinforced Missouri’s federal grip, while rural Confederate guerrillas planned spring raids, escalating Civil War divides.
• 1864: Confederate General Sterling Price’s Missouri units in Arkansas focused on spring logistics, with Missouri under Union control and little Confederate activity noted.
• 1888: Southeast Missouri’s Missouri Pacific Railroad, serving Cape Girardeau, supported trade growth, with mid-March seeing steady freight and passenger traffic.
• 1929: The Great Depression deepened Missouri’s economic woes, with Kansas City and St. Louis struggling, while spring relief efforts prioritized job creation and aid.
• 1941: Missouri’s St. Louis and Kansas City, post-Pearl Harbor, intensified wartime production, with mid-March enlistment campaigns targeting skilled labor for defense industries.