On April 7, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:
- 1806: St. Louis traders expanded spring fur trade expeditions, a vital Missouri economic activity, though no specific event is noted for this date.
- 1856: Missouri’s pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” raided Kansas anti-slavery settlers in “Bleeding Kansas,” escalating territorial violence in early April.
- 1861: Union General Henry W. Halleck, stationed in St. Louis, maintained Missouri’s federal hold, while rural Confederate guerrillas planned spring raids, deepening tensions.
- 1864: In Arkansas, Confederate General Sterling Price’s Missouri units focused on spring campaign planning, with Missouri seeing little Confederate activity under Union control.
- 1888: The Missouri Pacific Railroad’s southeast Missouri lines, serving Cape Girardeau, supported regional commerce, with early April marking increased trade activity.
- 1929: The Great Depression hit Missouri’s Kansas City and St. Louis hard, with spring relief programs focusing on food aid and job creation.
- 1941: Post-Pearl Harbor, Missouri’s St. Louis and Kansas City increased World War II production, with early April enlistment drives expanding to meet wartime demands.