1. In 1902, the O'Reilly General Hospital opened in Springfield, Missouri. This hospital was originally built to care for Civil War veterans, but later expanded to provide medical care to veterans of all wars. Today, the hospital is known as the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital.

2. On October 19, 1960, the Kansas City Athletics hired their first African-American manager, John "Buck" O'Neil. O'Neil had a long career as a player, coach, and manager in the Negro Leagues before joining the Athletics organization.

3. The Missouri State Capitol building was completed on October 19, 1924. The building is located in Jefferson City and features a dome that is over 238 feet tall. It remains the tallest capitol building dome in the United States.

4. On October 19, 2004, a tornado swept through the town of St. Louis, Missouri, causing significant damage. The tornado was one of the largest ever recorded in the state and resulted in over $25 million in damage.

5. In 1931, the passenger ship Emma Alexander sank in the Mississippi River near Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The ship collided with a barge and quickly went down, causing the loss of over 50 lives. The tragedy remains one of the deadliest maritime accidents in Missouri history.