On March 21, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:

• 1806: St. Louis traders, central to Missouri’s fur trade, began spring expeditions with Native American tribes, though no specific event is noted for this date.
• 1856: In “Bleeding Kansas,” Missouri’s pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” continued raids on Kansas anti-slavery settlers, escalating territorial violence in late March.
• 1861: Union General Henry W. Halleck, stationed in St. Louis, maintained Missouri’s federal hold, while rural Confederate guerrillas planned spring raids, deepening Civil War 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 late March 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 temporary employment.
• 1941: Missouri’s St. Louis and Kansas City, key to World War II, increased military production, with late March enlistment drives expanding to meet wartime demands.