Exhibits
Drawing upon its voluminous collection of photographs, books, and paper records the Missouri State Archives creates colorful exhibits that tell the stories of Missouri's exciting past. The Archives shares these stories with the people of Missouri through on-line exhibits and by making exhibits available to local museums, libraries, historical societies, and educational institutions to borrow free of charge. Ideal for venues with small budgets and staff, each exhibit is easy to install and requires a minimum of security. For more information about Missouri State Archives traveling exhibits, contact Greg Olson, P. O. Box 1747, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or call 573-522-2705.
Traveling Exhibits
Mapping Missouri
Detail, survey map, La Saline Salt Works, 1806.
(Click image to view enlarged.)
This exhibit features more than 100 maps from the Archives' collection, some of which have never been shown before. Drawing from such diverse examples as the land survey maps made by Antoine Soulard in St. Louis from 1796-1806, to the computer generated Lewis and Clark maps created by Jim Harlan and the University of Missouri's Geographic Resources Center in 2002, this exhibit explores the history of cartography in Missouri and the role maps have played in our everyday lives.
Mapping Missouri uses stunning examples of colorful cartography to show how maps express our attitude about the world around us, illustrating such topics as the evolution of land surveying methods, the process of creating geographical inventories of natural resources, and methods of using maps to recreate events that took place long ago.
LEWIS & CLARK ACROSS MISSOURI: Mapping the Historic Landscape
The historic expedition of Lewis and Clark continues to capture the public's imagination even today – two hundred years later. With their Corps of Discovery – a crew of soldiers, trappers, French engagés, Clark's slave York, and Shoshone interpreter Sacagawea – they explored a magnificent and virtually unmapped land. Embracing that spirit of discovery, the Missouri State Archives presents this exhibit of maps portraying the Missouri River exactly as the explorers experienced it.
Combining 19th century land survey records held at the Missouri State Archives with modern mapping technology, geographers from the Geographic Resources Center at the University of Missouri gave us a new way to look at the land where the journey began – Missouri.
The maps provide the earliest mapped version of the river. Contemporary map overlays reveal the changes brought by human activity over two centuries. The maps also give the first accurate rendering of Expedition campsites and foot explorations in the territory, giving Missouri its proper place in telling this national adventure story.
Ticket to the Past
The First Twenty-Fives Years of the Missouri State Fair
"Profitable Fun For All Who Come" was the promise on which promoters built the early success of the Missouri State Fair. Troubled by the continuing plight of Missouri's farmers, Representative Cyrus F. Clark, Mexico, introduced the bill that established the fair in January 1899.
When the first Missouri State Fair opened in Sedalia on September 9, 1901 it offered exhibits, activities, and entertainment. In addition to competitive judging of livestock, sewing, canned and baked goods, the offerings grew to include concerts, automobile races, vaudeville acts, hot air balloon ascensions and political addresses. The State Fair is credited with introducing farmers to the tractor, automobile and airplane.
Topics highlighted in the exhibit include the development of the fairgrounds, the fair's role in celebrating Missouri's centennial, and the influence of the First World War on life in Missouri homes and agriculture. Items featured in Ticket to the Past are drawn from the archives' holdings of over 200 cubic feet of material relating to the Missouri State Fair.
View the digital image collection.
The Verdict of History
Examining Missouri's Judicial Records
- Embarrassed by accusations against him, a politician with strong connections to a U. S. President commits suicide.
- An African American man files a lawsuit in a St. Louis court demanding his civil rights.
- A drunken man overturns his vehicle and his passenger sues the driver's employers for damages.
- A doctor brings an old and enfeebled man's life to an end.
- A jury lets a popular folk hero escape murder charges of which he is widely believed to be guilty.
Two Missouri juries acquitted notorious outlaw Frank James of crimes he committed with his brother Jesse.
Sooner or later the issues that make up the drama of life are turned into legal questions and the courts are asked to solve society's problems. The examples above could, of course, come from today's newspaper headlines, but they are all related to cases exhibited in The Verdict of History," the Missouri State Archives exhibit showcasing the state's judicial records.
The 53 cases included in this exhibit represent only the barest handful of court records found in the holdings of the Missouri State Archives.