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- Destinations
- North America
- United States of America
- Missouri
Missouri
Named after the Missouri Native Americans that inhabited the
fertile lands around the tributaries of the Mississippi and
Missouri Rivers, the state of Missouri became part of the US after
a long colonial tussle between France and Spain. The original
Missouri people were driven out by the flood of European immigrants
who came to settle here, founding the two fur trading centres of St
Louis and Kansas City. The state's central location on the
Mississippi River's north-south trade route and the east-west
railroad made it an important crossroads. Kansas City, and St Louis
in particular, established themselves as major gateways to the
western frontier.
Today the state is associated with historical figures from the
nation's past, such as Mark Twain and his famous stories about Tom
Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, the gun-slinging outlaw Jesse James,
western pioneers like Lewis and Clark, and the 33rd president of
the United States, Harry Truman. The brown waters of the great
Mississippi River and its small river towns, paddle steamers, the
stockyards of Kansas City and the jazz and blues clubs of St Louis
are other images representative of the state. The dominant city of
St Louis is recognisable for its Gateway Arch and is the 'Home of
the Blues', while the only other significant city, Kansas City is
famous for its steaks and barbecues as well as its hearty jazz. In
contrast, the south features the beautiful hillsides and lakes of
the Ozark Mountains that are great recreational areas, and the
conservative country-and-western tourist town of Branson.
Music, history, arts and heritage are all an intricate part of
Missouri& 'Where the Rivers Run'.
Information & Facts
Climate
The Missouri climate is continental, but differs quite largely
in its different regions. The southeast tends to be warmer than the
northwest. Kansas City has an average temperature range of between
26°F (-3°C) in January to 79°F (26°C) in July. There have been
recorded extremes of heat and cold in the state, with the lowest
ever temperature plunging to -40°F (-40°C) and the highest ever
temperature reaching 118°F (48°C). Snowfall is experienced
throughout the state, with a higher average in the north, and the
southeast experiencing the heaviest precipitation. Tornadoes are
prevalent in spring.
Language
English is the most common language but Spanish is often
spoken in south-western states.
Money
The US Dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is divided into
100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are
widespread and credit cards and travellers cheques are widely
accepted. Travellers cheques should be taken in US Dollars to avoid
hassles. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.
Time
GMT -6 (GMT -5 from March to November).