April 4th This Day in Missouri

On April 4, 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 reinforced federal control, while Confederate guerrillas in rural Missouri launched spring offensives, heightening tensions.
• 1864: Confederate General Sterling Price’s Missouri forces in Arkansas geared up for spring campaigns, with Missouri remaining quiet under Union dominance.
• 1888: Southeast Missouri’s Missouri Pacific Railroad, connecting Cape Girardeau to national markets, drove economic activity, with early April rail operations robust.
• 1929: Missouri’s Kansas City and St. Louis faced Great Depression hardships, with spring relief initiatives creating jobs through infrastructure projects.
• 1941: Missouri’s St. Louis and Kansas City, post-Pearl Harbor, boosted World War II efforts, with factories expanding military output and recruitment drives gaining traction.