State of Missouri
Nicknames: The Show-Me State
Motto(s): Salus populi suprema lex esto (The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law)
Date of Statehood: August 10, 1821 (24th state)
State Song: “Missouri Waltz”
Missouri Flag History
The flag of Missouri, adopted in 1913, was designed by Mrs. Marie Elizabeth Oliver. The flag’s design incorporates the state’s coat of arms, symbolizing Missouri’s strength and vigilance. The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of red, white, and blue, reflecting the state’s French heritage and mirroring the national flag’s colors, symbolizing valor, purity, vigilance, and justice.
In the center of the flag is the Missouri state seal, surrounded by a blue band with twenty-four stars, signifying Missouri’s status as the 24th state to join the Union. The state seal portrays two grizzly bears representing strength and bravery, supporting a shield. The shield displays a crescent moon representing the potential for growth and new beginnings, and a bald eagle symbolizing the connection with the federal government.
The helmet above the shield represents Missouri’s sovereign state status. The scroll contains the state motto, and the date below, 1821, is the year Missouri became a state. The flag represents Missouri’s history, its commitment to the welfare of its citizens, and its pride as a part of the nation.
Missouri Quick Facts
Capital City: Jefferson City
Abbreviation: MO
Population: Approximately 6.1 million
Region: Midwest
Origin of State Name: Named after the Missouri River, which was itself named after the indigenous Missouri Indians; the word “Missouri” means “town of the large canoes.”
Sports Teams: St. Louis Cardinals (MLB), Kansas City Royals (MLB), Kansas City Chiefs (NFL), St. Louis Blues (NHL)
Bordering States: Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska
Area Codes: 314, 417, 573, 636, 660, 816
Highest Point: Taum Sauk Mountain at 1,772 feet (540 meters)
Lowest Point: St. Francis River at 230 feet (70 meters)
Geography of Missouri
Area: 69,707 square miles (180,540 square kilometers), 21st largest
Land: 68,742 square miles (178,040 square kilometers), 18th largest
Water: 965 square miles (2,500 square kilometers), 36th largest
Coastline: None (landlocked state)
Shoreline: None (landlocked state)
Largest Cities:
- Kansas City
- St. Louis
- Springfield
- Columbia
- Independence
- Lee’s Summit
- O’Fallon
- St. Joseph
- St. Charles
- St. Peters
- Blue Springs
- Joplin
- Florissant
- Chesterfield
- Jefferson City
National Parks:
- Gateway Arch National Park
- Ozark National Scenic Riverways
- Harry S Truman National Historic Site
- George Washington Carver National Monument
- Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
Missouri State Symbols
Living Insignia
State Bird: Eastern Bluebird
State Animal: Missouri Mule
State Amphibian: American Bullfrog
State Butterfly: None
State Fish: Channel Catfish
State Flower: Hawthorn
State Horse Breed: Missouri Fox Trotter
State Insect: Honeybee
State Mammal: Missouri Mule
State Reptile: Three-toed Box Turtle
Inanimate Insignia
State Fruit: None
State Gemstone: None
State Soil: Menfro
State Tree: Flowering Dogwood
State Quarter: Issued in 2003 featuring Lewis and Clark’s historic return to St. Louis down the Missouri River, with the Gateway Arch in the background
State Beverage: Milk
State Colors: None official
State Dance: Square Dance
State Food: None
State Fossil: Crinoid
State Mineral: Galena
State Rock: Mozarkite