On February 20, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:

• 1806: Zebulon Pike’s expedition, launched from St. Louis to map the southern Louisiana Purchase, pressed on through the Arkansas River region, with no specific Missouri event noted, likely due to winter’s reduced activity.
• 1856: Missouri’s pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” continued raids into Kansas during the “Bleeding Kansas” conflict, targeting anti-slavery settlers to influence the territory’s slavery debate through persistent violence.
• 1861: Union General Henry W. Halleck, stationed in St. Louis, solidified federal control over Missouri, while Confederate guerrillas in rural areas ramped up winter raids, intensifying the state’s Civil War divisions.
• 1864: After Confederate General Sterling Price’s failed Missouri campaign, his forces, including Missouri units, focused on winter logistics in Arkansas, with minimal activity in Missouri during this period.
• 1888: The Missouri Pacific Railroad’s southeast Missouri expansion, connecting Cape Girardeau to national trade networks, fueled economic growth, with rail operations running steadily in late February.
• 1929: The Great Depression battered Missouri, with Kansas City and St. Louis grappling with widespread job losses and business failures, as local aid efforts pushed to alleviate winter hardships.
• 1941: Following Pearl Harbor, Missouri’s St. Louis and Kansas City boosted World War II efforts, with factories accelerating military production and enlistment campaigns growing to meet wartime needs.