Thursday, January 30, 2025
January 30th This Day in Missouri
All day
On January 30, 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 exploration 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 sustained raids on Kansas anti-slavery settlers, aiming to influence the territory’s slavery debate, with violence persisting into late January.
- 1861: In the Civil War, Union General Henry W. Halleck, based in St. Louis, worked to maintain federal control, while Confederate guerrilla groups in rural Missouri planned winter raids, exacerbating the state’s internal divisions.
- 1864: After Confederate General Sterling Price’s failed Missouri campaign, his forces, including Missouri units, remained in Arkansas, focusing on winter recovery and planning, with little direct activity in Missouri.
- 1888: The Missouri Pacific Railroad’s southeast Missouri expansion, connecting towns like Cape Girardeau to national markets, supported regional economic growth, with operations fully resumed post-holidays.
- 1929: The Great Depression strained Missouri’s economy, with Kansas City and St. Louis facing severe unemployment and business closures, while local relief efforts intensified to aid communities during the winter months.
- 1941: Following Pearl Harbor, Missouri cities like St. Louis and Kansas City accelerated World War II mobilization, with factories increasing military production and recruitment drives expanding to support the war effort.