March 18th This Day in Missouri

On March 18, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:

• 1806: St. Louis, a Missouri trade outpost, supported spring fur trade preparations, though no specific event is recorded for this date.
• 1856: In “Bleeding Kansas,” Missouri’s “Border Ruffians” continued violent raids on Kansas anti-slavery settlers, intensifying territorial clashes in late March.
• 1861: Union General Henry W. Halleck in St. Louis fortified federal control, while Confederate guerrillas in rural Missouri prepared for spring offensives, heightening state divisions.
• 1864: Confederate General Sterling Price’s Missouri forces in Arkansas geared up for spring operations, with Missouri remaining quiet under Union dominance.
• 1888: Southeast Missouri’s Missouri Pacific Railroad, linking Cape Girardeau to national markets, drove economic activity, with late March rail traffic robust.
• 1929: Missouri’s Kansas City and St. Louis faced Great Depression hardships, with spring relief initiatives aiming to create jobs through infrastructure projects.
• 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.