On May 20, 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 documented.
- 1856: Missouri’s pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” raided Kansas anti-slavery settlers in “Bleeding Kansas,” intensifying territorial clashes in late May.
- 1861: Union General Nathaniel Lyon received permission to act against pro-Confederate forces in Missouri, while Sterling Price negotiated with General Harney to limit troop movements, though tensions persisted.
- 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 May rail traffic surging.
- 1927: Charles Lindbergh began his historic nonstop solo transatlantic flight in the “Spirit of St. Louis,” funded by St. Louis businessmen, cementing Missouri’s aviation legacy.
- 1941: Missouri’s St. Louis and Kansas City boosted World War II efforts, with factories expanding military output and late May recruitment drives gaining traction.