1. In 1851, the first official State Fair was held in St. Louis. This annual event allowed Missouri's farmers to showcase their agricultural products and livestock, and is still held to this day.

2. On September 12, 1892, future Missouri governor Guy B. Park was born in Slater, Missouri. Park served as governor from 1933-1937, during which time he established the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

3. The notorious outlaw Jesse James was born in Missouri on September 5, 1847, and on September 12, 1866, he robbed his first bank in Liberty, Missouri. James went on to become one of Missouri's most infamous residents, and his exploits are still the subject of movies, books, and TV shows.

4. On September 12, 1943, the University of Missouri hosted the first meeting of the Missouri Valley Conference, a college sports conference that has included some of the region's top schools, including Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.

5. In 1953, the first Hula Hoops were manufactured by the Wham-O toy company. The plastic hoops quickly became a national craze, and in 1960, the Missouri state legislature passed a law prohibiting the use of Hula Hoops on public highways, citing concerns about distracted driving.