1. In 1744, French explorer, Pierre Laclede Liguest established a fur trading post on the west bank of the Mississippi River, which later became the city of St. Louis, Missouri.

2. On July 31, 1861, Missouri Governor Claiborne F. Jackson signed a proclamation officially declaring the state of Missouri a neutral state in the American Civil War, despite his Confederate sympathies.

3. The famous outlaw Jesse James was born on July 31, 1847, in Kearney, Missouri. James and his infamous gang committed numerous robberies throughout Missouri and neighboring states during the late 1800s.

4. On July 31, 1905, the city of Springfield, Missouri, suffered a devastating tornado that killed 13 people and caused widespread destruction throughout the city.

5. In 1922, the Missouri State Fair was established in Sedalia, Missouri, and continues to be held annually in late August, drawing visitors from across the state and beyond.