Thursday, January 23, 2025
January 23rd This Day in Missouri
All day
On January 23, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:
- 1806: Zebulon Pike’s expedition, launched from St. Louis to explore the southern Louisiana Purchase, continued its winter journey along the Arkansas River, though no specific Missouri event is recorded, likely due to reduced activity in the winter season.
- 1856: During the “Bleeding Kansas” conflict, pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” from Missouri continued cross-border raids into Kansas, targeting anti-slavery settlers to influence the territory’s slavery debate, with tensions persisting into late January.
- 1861: In the Civil War, Union General Henry W. Halleck, headquartered in St. Louis, focused on securing Missouri for the Union, while Confederate sympathizers in rural areas organized guerrilla activities, reflecting the state’s deep divisions.
- 1864: Following Confederate General Sterling Price’s failed Missouri campaign, his forces, including Missouri units, were encamped in Arkansas, focusing on winter reorganization, with minimal activity in Missouri during this period.
- 1888: The Missouri Pacific Railroad’s expansion in southeast Missouri, connecting towns like Cape Girardeau to national trade networks, bolstered local economies, with regular operations resuming in the new year.
- 1929: The Great Depression strained Missouri’s economy, with Kansas City and St. Louis facing widespread layoffs and business failures, while local relief efforts expanded to support struggling communities in the winter months.
- 1941: Post-Pearl Harbor, Missouri cities like St. Louis and Kansas City intensified World War II efforts, with factories shifting to military production and recruitment campaigns expanding to meet wartime demands.