1. In 1861, Missouri was the site of the Battle of Platte Bridge, a skirmish between Confederate guerrillas and Union soldiers. The battle took place near present-day Platte City and resulted in a Union victory.

2. On December 9, 1865, the Missouri State University was founded in Springfield. Originally named the Fourth District Normal School, the school was formed to train teachers for the state's public schools.

3. In 1935, the Missouri State Capitol building in Jefferson City was severely damaged by a fire. The fire, which started in the building's dome, destroyed much of the interior and forced the state government to temporarily relocate to a nearby hotel.

4. On December 9, 1974, former Missouri Governor Warren E. Hearnes was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court. Hearnes, who served as governor from 1965 to 1973, was the first former governor to be appointed to the state's highest court.

5. In 2008, the Kansas City Chiefs played their final game at the old Arrowhead Stadium, which had been their home since 1972. The stadium was demolished and replaced with a new, state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2010.