Missourians could hardly have made a more appropriate decision than to name their capital city after Thomas Jefferson. A meeting-place of major rivers, Missouri became a gateway to the promised land--the beckoning West opened up to Americans by Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase. In the era of overland traders and steamboat pilots, of Thomas Hart Benton and Mark Twain, life in Missouri was strongly flavored by the Jeffersonian spirit, expressed in a suspicion of large cities, a belief that mankind flourished best in a rural setting, and a faith in the free individual as the guardian of liberty.

Conceived of as a way to commemorate Missouri’s bicentennial of statehood, this unique work presents the perspective of Gary Kremer, one of the Show-Me State’s foremost historians, as he ponders why history played out as it did over the course of the two centuries since Missouri’s admittance to the Union. In the writing of what is much more than a survey history, Kremer, himself a fifth-generation Missourian, infuses the narrative with his vast knowledge and personal experiences, even as he considers what being a Missourian has meant—across the many years and to this day—to all of the state’s people, and how the forces of history—time, place, race, gender, religion, and class—shaped people and determined their opportunities and choices, in turn creating collective experiences that draw upon the past in an attempt to make sense of the present and plan for the future. Key elements of the book include the centrality of race to the Missouri experience—from the time Missourians began to seek statehood in 1817 all the way up to the Black Lives Matter movement of the 21st century—as well as ongoing tensions created by the urban-rural divide and struggle to define the proper role of government in society.

Missouri is called the Show-Me State for a good reason. From cosmopolitan rooftop bars to breathtaking mountain views, there are so many amazing things to do here that you could spend a lifetime exploring and still not cover it all. Make your goal easier with 100 Things to Do in Missouri Before You Die, a curated collection of the best from every corner of the state. Discover architectural wonders beyond the Arch, outdoor escapes like scuba diving in the Bonne Terre Mine, and museums and festivals celebrating everything from ragtime to road trips. Take the time to experience the legacy of George Washington Carver, Daniel Boone, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Harry S. Truman. Find ideas for exploring the Ozark mountains, Missouri’s big cities, unique small towns, and even prehistoric caves. Don’t miss insider tips to world-famous attractions, distinctive food and nightlife scenes, cultural creatives in fashion and the arts, and where to shop for everything from fine furniture to fine whiskey. Local authors John W. Brown and Amanda E. Doyle invite you to buckle up for this nonstop adventure ride around their home state. Special features such as seasonal and themed itineraries make planning a snap, so there should never be a reason for you or your family to say, “I have nothing to do!”

A collection of rich artifacts from one thousand years of artistic production in what is now Missouri. Art Along the Rivers marks the two-hundredth anniversary of Missouri's statehood. This exhibition catalogue presents extraordinary objects produced or collected within a 150-mile region around St. Louis, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, furniture, ceramics, metals, and textiles. As a celebration of the cultural and artistic traditions of this region, the catalog looks within--and beyond--the years of statehood to reveal how the region's geography, raw materials, and pressing social issues shaped over one thousand years of rich artistic production. Though these objects have rarely been considered in connection with one another, the catalog brings them into dialogue to establish and celebrate their shared artistic history. Art Along the Rivers serves as the first significant publication to introduce this primary artistic material to a global audience.

Translation of German immigrant Gert Goebel's insightful reflections on life in Franklin County, Missouri from the 1830s to the 1870s, including his thoughts about nineteenth-century German settlement in Missouri.