Missouri became the 24th state on August 10, 1821. First settled by French hunters and miners in 1735, the United States acquired Missouri as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The fur trade and Santa Fe Trail provided prosperity to the state, with St. Louis becoming the gateway for pioneers heading west. Today, agriculture, manufacturing, aerospace and tourism make up the principle industries. Missouri is rich in sites and history. With the Mark Twain Area in Hannibal, the Pony Express Museum, Harry S. Truman Library, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and Lake of the Ozark region. Missouri offers many diversions and much information for the whole family. Famous Missourians include: General Omar Bradley, George Washington Carver, Walter Cronkite, Walt Disney, T.S. Eliot, Jesse James, Stan Musial, J.C. Penny, Joseph Pulitzer, Harry S. Truman and Tennessee Williams. @
