Unit One: Missouri Geography
Unit One
This land that we know as Missouri is centrally located in the continental United States. Long before the first European stepped foot on the soil of this area, other humans called it home. The meeting of three major waterways, the Missouri River, Mississippi River, and the Ohio River allow this area to a hub of travel and resources. Archaeologists believe that there were prehistoric civilizations existing in this land as early as 12,000 B.C. The rich soil, valuable minerals, plant life, and animals added to the abundant water supply to draw humans to our homeland. Some of these groups and cultures came from hundreds, even thousands of miles away to trade of settle in this area.
The area within the boundaries of Missouri covers 69,697 square miles. When the indigent groups commonly referred to as “Indians” first arrived in this land, there was ample forest and grasslands. Up until the white settlement of the region and the development of towns, the native grassland was much as tall as the average human being. The increase of white settlement decreased the abundance of timber and grassland, but some still remain. Recent efforts of conservation groups have worked at maintaining sections of grassland as it would have been during these early days. But it is still hard for us to fathom such growth.
We are all aware of Missouri’s nickname as the “Show-Me State,” but did you know that it has other nicknames? Missouri has been called “The Cave State” because of the more than 6,800 registered caves in the state. Most of these caves developed during the Cenozoic era of prehistory, or about 65 million years ago. Missouri is second to Tennessee for the number of caves and 3/4th of all Missouri caves are on privately owned land.
“Cave is a good word…The memory of a cave I used to know was always in my mind, with its lofty passages, its silence and solitude, its shrouding gloom, its sepulchral echoes, its fleeting lights, and more than all, its sudden revelations…” Mark Twain
For many of us, when the word “cave” is used in relation to “Missouri” the Mark Twain Cave of Hannibal comes to mind. This cave is properly called McDowell’s Cave and is close to two miles long with a maze of passages spreading out like the limbs of a tree. The cave became internationally famed with the publication of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” in 1876. McDowell’s Cave is formed in limestone, while many Missouri caves are formed in sandstone. The majority of Missouri caves are found south of the Missouri River. The county with the most caves is Perry, with 656 recorded caves with some of the longest caves in the state, such as Crevice Cave at just over 28 miles long.
Some Missouri caves are found in and around cities. Fantastic Caverns has provided vehicle-based tours to the north of Springfield and Cherokee Cave once was a thriving tourist attraction near downtown St. Louis. Other popular caves in Missouri include Marvel Cave near Branson, Meramec Caverns near Staunton, and Bridal Cave near Camdenton. Bridal Cave has been the site of over 2,500 weddings. Most people have been more apt to utilize Missouri caves for picnics, tours, spelunking, or as temporary shelter in the pattern of early Missouri inhabitants.
If you examine any of the websites related to Missouri caves you will find discrepancies in the total number of caves in the state. Some of that reason is because more caves are being recorded every year, anywhere from fifty to a hundred new caves each year. It is interesting to note that there were only 210 caves recorded by the Missouri Geologic Survey in 1940. Most of the exploration and documenting of caves in the state happened since 1956. It is possible to suggest that thousands of caves remain unreported in Missouri and new caves continue to develop.
This land that we know as Missouri is centrally located in the continental United States. Long before the first European stepped foot on the soil of this area, other humans called it home. The meeting of three major waterways, the Missouri River, Mississippi River, and the Ohio River allow this area to a hub of travel and resources. Archaeologists believe that there were prehistoric civilizations existing in this land as early as 12,000 B.C. The rich soil, valuable minerals, plant life, and animals added to the abundant water supply to draw humans to our homeland. Some of these groups and cultures came from hundreds, even thousands of miles away to trade of settle in this area.
The area within the boundaries of Missouri covers 69,697 square miles. When the indigent groups commonly referred to as “Indians” first arrived in this land, there was ample forest and grasslands. Up until the white settlement of the region and the development of towns, the native grassland was much as tall as the average human being. The increase of white settlement decreased the abundance of timber and grassland, but some still remain. Recent efforts of conservation groups have worked at maintaining sections of grassland as it would have been during these early days. But it is still hard for us to fathom such growth.
We are all aware of Missouri’s nickname as the “Show-Me State,” but did you know that it has other nicknames? Missouri has been called “The Cave State” because of the more than 6,800 registered caves in the state. Most of these caves developed during the Cenozoic era of prehistory, or about 65 million years ago. Missouri is second to Tennessee for the number of caves and 3/4th of all Missouri caves are on privately owned land.
“Cave is a good word…The memory of a cave I used to know was always in my mind, with its lofty passages, its silence and solitude, its shrouding gloom, its sepulchral echoes, its fleeting lights, and more than all, its sudden revelations…” Mark Twain
For many of us, when the word “cave” is used in relation to “Missouri” the Mark Twain Cave of Hannibal comes to mind. This cave is properly called McDowell’s Cave and is close to two miles long with a maze of passages spreading out like the limbs of a tree. The cave became internationally famed with the publication of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” in 1876. McDowell’s Cave is formed in limestone, while many Missouri caves are formed in sandstone. The majority of Missouri caves are found south of the Missouri River. The county with the most caves is Perry, with 656 recorded caves with some of the longest caves in the state, such as Crevice Cave at just over 28 miles long.
Some Missouri caves are found in and around cities. Fantastic Caverns has provided vehicle-based tours to the north of Springfield and Cherokee Cave once was a thriving tourist attraction near downtown St. Louis. Other popular caves in Missouri include Marvel Cave near Branson, Meramec Caverns near Staunton, and Bridal Cave near Camdenton. Bridal Cave has been the site of over 2,500 weddings. Most people have been more apt to utilize Missouri caves for picnics, tours, spelunking, or as temporary shelter in the pattern of early Missouri inhabitants.
If you examine any of the websites related to Missouri caves you will find discrepancies in the total number of caves in the state. Some of that reason is because more caves are being recorded every year, anywhere from fifty to a hundred new caves each year. It is interesting to note that there were only 210 caves recorded by the Missouri Geologic Survey in 1940. Most of the exploration and documenting of caves in the state happened since 1956. It is possible to suggest that thousands of caves remain unreported in Missouri and new caves continue to develop.
Some other nicknames for Missouri include:
The Iron Mountain State-because of the large amount of iron ore found at Iron Mountain.
The Puke State-because there was such a great amount of Missourians in 1827 at the Galena Lead Mines. In the 1938 publication “State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and Other Symbols” by George Earlie Shankle, it is stated that “so many Missourians had assembled(at the Galena Lead Mines), that those already there declared the State of Missouri had taken a ‘puke.’”
Pennsylvania of the West-due to the similarity between Missouri and Pennsylvania’s mining and manufacturing economies.
The Lead State-The “Old Lead Belt” is located in the eastern Ozark Mountains and helped Missouri achieve its status as the premier lead mining area of the world. Missouri’s official State Mineral is Galena, a major source of lead ore.
All of the above nicknames are related to Missouri’s mining history. It has also been called “The Bullion State” because of Missouri’s first Senator, Thomas Hart Benton, was extremely supportive of hard currency, or gold and silver to be used as a form of financial exchange. Benton was known as “Old Bullion” by his contemporaries.
The Iron Mountain State-because of the large amount of iron ore found at Iron Mountain.
The Puke State-because there was such a great amount of Missourians in 1827 at the Galena Lead Mines. In the 1938 publication “State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and Other Symbols” by George Earlie Shankle, it is stated that “so many Missourians had assembled(at the Galena Lead Mines), that those already there declared the State of Missouri had taken a ‘puke.’”
Pennsylvania of the West-due to the similarity between Missouri and Pennsylvania’s mining and manufacturing economies.
The Lead State-The “Old Lead Belt” is located in the eastern Ozark Mountains and helped Missouri achieve its status as the premier lead mining area of the world. Missouri’s official State Mineral is Galena, a major source of lead ore.
All of the above nicknames are related to Missouri’s mining history. It has also been called “The Bullion State” because of Missouri’s first Senator, Thomas Hart Benton, was extremely supportive of hard currency, or gold and silver to be used as a form of financial exchange. Benton was known as “Old Bullion” by his contemporaries.
Missouri’s Climate
An old joke you may have heard is “If you don’t like the weather in Missouri, wait around a little while and it will change.” There is some truth behind this statement. Missouri experiences all aspects of weather, from freezing conditions to squelching heat. Missouri experiences all four seasons of weather. Summers are warm and humid with fair amounts of rain. The average summer temperatures range from around 81 degrees Fahrenheit (F.) in the southeast part of the state to 79 degrees F. in the north and the mountains. The record high temperature in the state was set in 1954 and 1936 at 118 degrees F. and the record low temperature was set in 1905 at -40 degrees F.
Missouri’s climate is known as a “humid continental” type of climate. Missouri experiences regional differences in climates, but no geographic boundaries are attributed to these differences. Long periods of hot or very cold conditions are not common in the state. All of Missouri experiences freezing temperatures during the winter. The average amount of winter time below freezing (32 degrees F.) in the north is 110 days. In the Bootheel region, this time is only 70 days. The growing season runs from 198 days a year in northwestern Missouri to 250 days a year in the southeastern part of the state.
Northwest Missouri receives on an average 34 inches of precipitation a year, while southeastern Missouri receives as much as 50 inches of precipitation a year. It is not uncommon to receive snow in parts of Missouri before Halloween and there has been recorded snowfall as late as May. The average yearly snowfall average for northern Missouri is between 18 to 24 inches. The southern part of the state only receives between 8 to 12 inches a year on an average. Most snowfall is gone within a week or two as additional precipitation in the form of rain usually helps to wash it away. The cold temperatures can cause some of this precipitation to end up as freezing rain or cause ice storms.
Spring and summer in Missouri can produce severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, although some tornadic activity has occurred in the winter. There has been significant winter tornadic activity in the state in 1956, 1967, 1982, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2013, during the months of November through March. Some of these tornadoes have been extremely costly, both in lives and property damage. The typical route for tornadoes in Missouri follows the Interstate 44 corridor, traveling from the southwest to the northeast, but tornadoes can occur at anytime and anywhere in the state, as seen with the May 2009 tornadoes that brought devastation to Adair County. Missouri has the seventh highest rate of tornadoes for states in the Union. The first EF5 (the highest category of damage on the Enhanced Fujita scale rating tornadic activity) tornado to hit the state since May, 1957 and the most costliest single tornado in United States history was the May 2011 tornado to devastate Joplin, the deadliest tornado in the nation since 1947.
An old joke you may have heard is “If you don’t like the weather in Missouri, wait around a little while and it will change.” There is some truth behind this statement. Missouri experiences all aspects of weather, from freezing conditions to squelching heat. Missouri experiences all four seasons of weather. Summers are warm and humid with fair amounts of rain. The average summer temperatures range from around 81 degrees Fahrenheit (F.) in the southeast part of the state to 79 degrees F. in the north and the mountains. The record high temperature in the state was set in 1954 and 1936 at 118 degrees F. and the record low temperature was set in 1905 at -40 degrees F.
Missouri’s climate is known as a “humid continental” type of climate. Missouri experiences regional differences in climates, but no geographic boundaries are attributed to these differences. Long periods of hot or very cold conditions are not common in the state. All of Missouri experiences freezing temperatures during the winter. The average amount of winter time below freezing (32 degrees F.) in the north is 110 days. In the Bootheel region, this time is only 70 days. The growing season runs from 198 days a year in northwestern Missouri to 250 days a year in the southeastern part of the state.
Northwest Missouri receives on an average 34 inches of precipitation a year, while southeastern Missouri receives as much as 50 inches of precipitation a year. It is not uncommon to receive snow in parts of Missouri before Halloween and there has been recorded snowfall as late as May. The average yearly snowfall average for northern Missouri is between 18 to 24 inches. The southern part of the state only receives between 8 to 12 inches a year on an average. Most snowfall is gone within a week or two as additional precipitation in the form of rain usually helps to wash it away. The cold temperatures can cause some of this precipitation to end up as freezing rain or cause ice storms.
Spring and summer in Missouri can produce severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, although some tornadic activity has occurred in the winter. There has been significant winter tornadic activity in the state in 1956, 1967, 1982, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2013, during the months of November through March. Some of these tornadoes have been extremely costly, both in lives and property damage. The typical route for tornadoes in Missouri follows the Interstate 44 corridor, traveling from the southwest to the northeast, but tornadoes can occur at anytime and anywhere in the state, as seen with the May 2009 tornadoes that brought devastation to Adair County. Missouri has the seventh highest rate of tornadoes for states in the Union. The first EF5 (the highest category of damage on the Enhanced Fujita scale rating tornadic activity) tornado to hit the state since May, 1957 and the most costliest single tornado in United States history was the May 2011 tornado to devastate Joplin, the deadliest tornado in the nation since 1947.
Missouri Geographic Regions
There are four geographic regions in the state, the Northern or Glacial Plains, the Western or Osage Plains, the Ozark Highland, and the Southeast Lowland.
There are four geographic regions in the state, the Northern or Glacial Plains, the Western or Osage Plains, the Ozark Highland, and the Southeast Lowland.
Glaciated (Glacial) Plains:
This region is known also as the Northern Plains or the Dissected Till Plains and includes basically all territory north of the Missouri River. Much of it has rounded hills and broad shallow valleys. The soil is good for growing crops and many early settlers came to this region to farm. This area consists of rich farmlands with generous soil for crops. Much of this soil originated with the end of the last Ice Age. As the glaciers receded, they deposited drift, or crushed rock also known as till. Huge dust storms would leave a deep layer of rich soil called loess. At one time, there were rich prairie grasses growing in this soil. That grass grew taller than a human being. It was course and thick, causing great difficulty for plowing. This caused a delay in settling the region, but now it is one of the richest farming regions of the United States.
Predominant crops in this area today are corn, wheat, soybeans, tobacco, and fruits and vegetables. Livestock is also important to farmers in this region.
There are little mineral resources in this part of the state other than coal, clay, and limestone.
The largest cities in the state are located in the Northern Plains. You will find St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Charles, St. Joseph, Independence, Columbia, and Hannibal all in this region. Adair County is located in this region.
Western Plains:
This area is made up of gently rolling land with only a few low hills. It is along the western border and south of the Missouri River. The soil is not as rich as in the Glaciated Plains, making it more suitable for the grazing of livestock. Grain is grown in this region, though.
Mineral deposits are abundant in this region. Lead can be found in great supply in part of the Osage Plains. Oil and gas is also produced in this area. Coal is an important resource here and limestone, sand, and gravel can be found in this region.
The largest cities in this region are Sedalia and Warrensburg. Some of the southern suburbs of the Kansas City metropolitan area are also located here, such as Blue Springs, Lees Summit, Grandview, Raytown, and Belton.
Ozark Highland:
The largest region in Missouri is the Ozark Highland. Very few settlers came here initially because the Ozark Mountains were difficult to travel through. The land was full of steep hills rocky soil, not good for crops like the other regions. Most of the early settlers came to this region to mine lead. It is an area full of mineral resources. There is zinc, iron, sand, clay, limestone, and gravel. In the eastern Ozarks there is also granite and rhyolite.
There are lots of forests in this region. Lumber, fenceposts, fine hardwood for furniture, and other things from trees are made in this region. Some fruits and vegetables are grown in parts of the Ozarks. Cattle, chickens, and hogs are also raised in this region. The largest cities are Joplin, Springfield, Jefferson City, Carthage, Rolla, and Poplar Bluff.
Taum Sauk Mountain is the highest point in Missouri at 1772 feet high. Thousands of springs from underground water sources are in the Ozark Highland. Near Van Buren, Big Spring is the largest spring in the United States. The Ozark Highland is also home to many caves. Tourism is a large part of the economy of this region.
This area is one of the oldest landforms in the United States, with the Appalachian Mountains, and rose above the seas covering the land 500 million years ago.
Southeast Lowland:
This area is also known as the Bootheel region. It looks like the heel on a boot when viewing the map of Missouri. This region is also known as the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. There are many rivers in this region. It is a flat region where water has difficulty running off. Much of the land has a history of being swampy. With the development of canals, much of that water now is directed off the land to allow for planting. When the swamp area was cleared, many types of plants and wildlife disappeared from the area. The ecosystem of the area was intensely changed by the new irrigation efforts. Cotton is a major crop in this region, with corn, wheat, soybeans, and farm animals being raised also here. The main cities in this region are Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, and Kennett.
Some commentators add a fifth region connecting to the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. This region is the area that runs along the Missouri River in the northwest corner of the state eastward to St. Louis and the merging of the Missouri with the Mississippi River. This Alluvial River Plain is also called the flood plain and contains quite rich soil.
This region is known also as the Northern Plains or the Dissected Till Plains and includes basically all territory north of the Missouri River. Much of it has rounded hills and broad shallow valleys. The soil is good for growing crops and many early settlers came to this region to farm. This area consists of rich farmlands with generous soil for crops. Much of this soil originated with the end of the last Ice Age. As the glaciers receded, they deposited drift, or crushed rock also known as till. Huge dust storms would leave a deep layer of rich soil called loess. At one time, there were rich prairie grasses growing in this soil. That grass grew taller than a human being. It was course and thick, causing great difficulty for plowing. This caused a delay in settling the region, but now it is one of the richest farming regions of the United States.
Predominant crops in this area today are corn, wheat, soybeans, tobacco, and fruits and vegetables. Livestock is also important to farmers in this region.
There are little mineral resources in this part of the state other than coal, clay, and limestone.
The largest cities in the state are located in the Northern Plains. You will find St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Charles, St. Joseph, Independence, Columbia, and Hannibal all in this region. Adair County is located in this region.
Western Plains:
This area is made up of gently rolling land with only a few low hills. It is along the western border and south of the Missouri River. The soil is not as rich as in the Glaciated Plains, making it more suitable for the grazing of livestock. Grain is grown in this region, though.
Mineral deposits are abundant in this region. Lead can be found in great supply in part of the Osage Plains. Oil and gas is also produced in this area. Coal is an important resource here and limestone, sand, and gravel can be found in this region.
The largest cities in this region are Sedalia and Warrensburg. Some of the southern suburbs of the Kansas City metropolitan area are also located here, such as Blue Springs, Lees Summit, Grandview, Raytown, and Belton.
Ozark Highland:
The largest region in Missouri is the Ozark Highland. Very few settlers came here initially because the Ozark Mountains were difficult to travel through. The land was full of steep hills rocky soil, not good for crops like the other regions. Most of the early settlers came to this region to mine lead. It is an area full of mineral resources. There is zinc, iron, sand, clay, limestone, and gravel. In the eastern Ozarks there is also granite and rhyolite.
There are lots of forests in this region. Lumber, fenceposts, fine hardwood for furniture, and other things from trees are made in this region. Some fruits and vegetables are grown in parts of the Ozarks. Cattle, chickens, and hogs are also raised in this region. The largest cities are Joplin, Springfield, Jefferson City, Carthage, Rolla, and Poplar Bluff.
Taum Sauk Mountain is the highest point in Missouri at 1772 feet high. Thousands of springs from underground water sources are in the Ozark Highland. Near Van Buren, Big Spring is the largest spring in the United States. The Ozark Highland is also home to many caves. Tourism is a large part of the economy of this region.
This area is one of the oldest landforms in the United States, with the Appalachian Mountains, and rose above the seas covering the land 500 million years ago.
Southeast Lowland:
This area is also known as the Bootheel region. It looks like the heel on a boot when viewing the map of Missouri. This region is also known as the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. There are many rivers in this region. It is a flat region where water has difficulty running off. Much of the land has a history of being swampy. With the development of canals, much of that water now is directed off the land to allow for planting. When the swamp area was cleared, many types of plants and wildlife disappeared from the area. The ecosystem of the area was intensely changed by the new irrigation efforts. Cotton is a major crop in this region, with corn, wheat, soybeans, and farm animals being raised also here. The main cities in this region are Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, and Kennett.
Some commentators add a fifth region connecting to the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. This region is the area that runs along the Missouri River in the northwest corner of the state eastward to St. Louis and the merging of the Missouri with the Mississippi River. This Alluvial River Plain is also called the flood plain and contains quite rich soil.
Missouri Waterways
As already mentioned, the Mississippi River and the Missouri River are vitally important to Missouri, for agriculture, industry, transportation, and more. These rivers contribute to the boundaries of the state. There are many smaller rivers that play a major role in the life of our state. There are more than 11,000 miles of rivers and streams in the state. The major rivers in Missouri are the Big Piney, Black, Blackwater, Chariton, Current, Eleven Point, Gasconade, James, Marais des Cygnes, St. Francis, Osage, and of course the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The main rivers in the northern part of the state that flow into the Missouri River are the Grand, Chariton, and Nodaway. Those rivers or tributaries in the southern part of the state are the Osage and the Gasconade. Some of the rivers in the state flow directly into the Mississippi; they are the Fox, Wyaconda, Fabius, and Salt Rivers in the northeast and the Meramec just south of St. Louis. Even with the vast amount of waterways in the state, there are times that drought is experienced. Other times there is too much water and we have flooding, as was evident with the Great Flood of 1993.
Some of these rivers provide hydroelectric power as they have been dammed and large lakes were formed. The first major dam project was Powersite Dam built on the White River in 1911 to create Lake Taneycomo and hydroelectric power. Bagnell Dam was built over the Osage River, making the Lake of the Ozarks and much of the electricity for that area. Table Rock Lake near Branson is another source of hydroelectric power in the state. Closer to home, Mark Twain and Longbranch lakes have been created. While many areas where the rivers were dammed lost fertile river bottom land for agriculture, the recreation industry replaced much of that lost revenue.
All in all, the natural resources that are a part of this state make Missouri a great place to live.
As already mentioned, the Mississippi River and the Missouri River are vitally important to Missouri, for agriculture, industry, transportation, and more. These rivers contribute to the boundaries of the state. There are many smaller rivers that play a major role in the life of our state. There are more than 11,000 miles of rivers and streams in the state. The major rivers in Missouri are the Big Piney, Black, Blackwater, Chariton, Current, Eleven Point, Gasconade, James, Marais des Cygnes, St. Francis, Osage, and of course the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The main rivers in the northern part of the state that flow into the Missouri River are the Grand, Chariton, and Nodaway. Those rivers or tributaries in the southern part of the state are the Osage and the Gasconade. Some of the rivers in the state flow directly into the Mississippi; they are the Fox, Wyaconda, Fabius, and Salt Rivers in the northeast and the Meramec just south of St. Louis. Even with the vast amount of waterways in the state, there are times that drought is experienced. Other times there is too much water and we have flooding, as was evident with the Great Flood of 1993.
Some of these rivers provide hydroelectric power as they have been dammed and large lakes were formed. The first major dam project was Powersite Dam built on the White River in 1911 to create Lake Taneycomo and hydroelectric power. Bagnell Dam was built over the Osage River, making the Lake of the Ozarks and much of the electricity for that area. Table Rock Lake near Branson is another source of hydroelectric power in the state. Closer to home, Mark Twain and Longbranch lakes have been created. While many areas where the rivers were dammed lost fertile river bottom land for agriculture, the recreation industry replaced much of that lost revenue.
All in all, the natural resources that are a part of this state make Missouri a great place to live.
Sites used:
http://www.bridalcave.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/40045-cave-is-a-good-word-the-memory-of-a-cave
http://members.socket.net/~joschaper/wmarktwan.html
http://members.socket.net/~joschaper/whistory.html
http://www.mospeleo.org/docs/pr6000.htm
http://www.mocavesandkarst.org/
http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/mo_intro.htm
http://climate.missouri.edu/climate.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Joplin_tornado
http://www.sikeston.k12.mo.us/SKELSO/Social%20Studies/Missouri%20History/Regions%20of%20Missouri.htm
http://www.umsl.edu/library/merc/exhibits/missouri-splendor/ED_missouri_geography.pdf
http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/states/missouri/geography.html
http://www.bridalcave.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/40045-cave-is-a-good-word-the-memory-of-a-cave
http://members.socket.net/~joschaper/wmarktwan.html
http://members.socket.net/~joschaper/whistory.html
http://www.mospeleo.org/docs/pr6000.htm
http://www.mocavesandkarst.org/
http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/mo_intro.htm
http://climate.missouri.edu/climate.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Joplin_tornado
http://www.sikeston.k12.mo.us/SKELSO/Social%20Studies/Missouri%20History/Regions%20of%20Missouri.htm
http://www.umsl.edu/library/merc/exhibits/missouri-splendor/ED_missouri_geography.pdf
http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/states/missouri/geography.html