From the Ozark Mountains to the muddy Mississippi River, there is much to see and do in Missouri. Missouri served as the starting and return point for the Lewis and Clark Expedition and earned the nickname the “Gateway to the West” because it was the departure point for settlers heading to the west. Originally purchased from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase, Missouri gained independence as the 24th state in 1821 and has since made great strides as a land of prosperity.
Thanks to its location on the Mississippi River, Missouri was one of the first states to introduce river boats to its residents. As bootlegging and prohibition made its way throughout the US, Missouri thrived on cultural reinvention and a quest for individuality. Missouri hosted the 1904 St Louis World’s Fair and Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which was made famous in the 1944 movie, Meet Me in St Louis.
Today, visitors booking flights to Missouri can travel the same paths that Lewis and Clark discovered and set foot on ground that served the world’s first ice cream cone and glass of iced tea. The state’s most recognised monument, the Gateway Arch, was built in 1965 and serves as a tribute to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase. Upon completion of the Arch, Missouri earned the nickname the “Show Me State” for its purpose of “showing” settlers any opportunity of a greater life to the west of the Mississippi River. Booking flights to Missouri today offers travellers a step back in time and an opportunity to relish in one of the United States’ most pivotal states.
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