On March 31, 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 noted for this date.
- 1856: Missouri’s pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” raided Kansas anti-slavery settlers in “Bleeding Kansas,” fueling violent territorial disputes as March ended.
- 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: The Missouri Pacific Railroad’s southeast Missouri network, serving Cape Girardeau, supported trade growth, with late March seeing steady freight shipments.
- 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 late March enlistment campaigns targeting skilled defense workers.