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220 Missouri Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts

How much do you know about Missouri? This category is for trivia questions and answers related to Missouri (Geography). Each one is filled with fun facts and interesting information.
1 The town I grew up in, which straddles two counties in southwest Missouri, was built on strawberries and the railroad. It's name is SIMILAR to that of a famous painter, but not quite the same. Where am I from?
Answer: Monett

Monett (2010 pop. 8873) was named after a railroad employee that was important to the roots of my hometown, not for Claude Monet. It sits in both Barry County and Lawrence County, so as a result, it's not a county seat- even though it's the largest town in the bi-county area.
    Your options: [ Joplin ] [ Monett ] [ Neosho ] [ Marionville ]
  From Quiz: Missouri Small Towns
2 The quaint rural town of Knob Lick got its name from what natural formation?
Answer: Knob Lick Mountain

This area established the name Knob Lick in 1876, taking its name from Knob Lick Mountain. A knob is a summit. Buffalo once came to the area for the salt in the local lick (or spring).
  From Quiz: Knob Lick, Missouri
3 The city of St. Louis is located in which county?
Answer: None of these

St. Louis is one of the few U.S. cities that is not politically a part of a county, having seceded from St. Louis County in 1877. The city has been unable to expand in territory because of this.
    Your options: [ None of these ] [ Merrimac County ] [ St. Louis County ] [ St. Charles County ]
  From Quiz: The City of St. Louis
4 This mountainous area of the Ozarks in southeast Missouri contains the state's highest peak, Tom Sauk Mountain. What are these mountains collectively known as?
Answer: St. Francois Mountains

The hills and mountains of the St. Francois range are the remains of a heavily-eroded uplift of once-molten igneous rocks. Beautiful granites, schists and other igneous rocks dominate in this region.
  From Quiz: Geologic Wonders and Curiosities of Missouri
5 Founded in 1870, this school was the first technological learning institution west of the Mississippi. Later called Missouri University of Science and Technology, what was the school's original name?
Answer: Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy

The school was known as the University of Missouri-Rolla from 1968 until 2007. In 2007, the name was changed to the University of Science and Technology.

Missouri Technological University was one of the other names considered for the 2007 change.

The University of Missouri refers to the University of Missouri-Columbia ("Mizzou"),
  From Quiz: Rolla, MO "The Middle of Everywhere"
6 The St. Louis Cardinals play in what well-known ballpark?
Answer: Busch Stadium

The "Old" Busch Stadium was torn down and rebuilt as the "New" Busch Stadium in 2006. The Cardinals won the World Series in 2006. Some famous players include Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina.
  From Quiz: Around St. Louis
7 Kansas City claims to have more _____________ than Paris.
Answer: boulevards

This is actually one half of an old advertising slogan: More boulevards than Paris. More fountains than Rome.
    Your options: [ cafes ] [ fountains ] [ statues ] [ boulevards ]
  From Quiz: Going to Kansas City
8 Which suburb serves as the financial and governmental hub of St. Louis county?
Answer: Clayton

Clayton is fast becoming the main business and residential area of St. Louis county. Because the zoning laws do not include a height provision, central Clayton has a plethora of large skyscrapers... with some even reaching 28 stories tall!
    Your options: [ Ladue ] [ Chesterfield ] [ University City ] [ Clayton ]
  From Quiz: St. Louis Suburbs
9 This sparkling, bubbly beverage was invented in St. Louis and is still manufactured here.
Answer: 7-Up

Invented by Charles Leiper Grigg of the Howdy Corporation, 7-Up was originally called "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda". Introduced in 1929, Grigg changed the name to 7-Up in 1936. No one knows exactly why he chose the name 7-Up but here are a few theories.

There are (or were) seven ingredients in 7Up.

The original 7Up bottle was seven ounces.

Mr. Grigg saw a cattle brand that looked like 7 Up, and he liked it enough to name his soda after it.

Mr. Grigg named his new soda after a popular card game at the time that was also called 7up.
    Your options: [ 7-Up ] [ Beer ] [ Champagne ] [ Soda Water ]
  From Quiz: St. Louis is Famous For...
10 The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is ______ feet tall.
Answer: 630

The final section was put into place on October 28, 1965, and in 2003, it was the tallest national monument in the United States.
    Your options: [ 540 ] [ 580 ] [ 630 ] [ 610 ]
  From Quiz: All About Missouri
11 A statue of the dog Old Drum sits in front of the courthouse of what Missouri city?
Answer: Warrensburg

Old Drum was involved in a court case in Warrensburg, where the phrase "dog is man's best friend" reportedly originated.
  From Quiz: Missouri Oddities
12 A popular attraction in the Kansas City area is the home of what former U.S. president?
Answer: Harry Truman

The home of Harry S. Truman (his middle initial stands for nothing) is in Independence, just outside of Kansas City.
  From Quiz: Show Me Missouri
13 What Italian restaurant in St. Louis is home to the "frozen fishbowl?"
Answer: Rigazzi's

The "frozen fishbowl" is a drink offered by Rigazzi's. Any beverage (beer, margaritas, soda, etc.) may be purchased in a fishbowl on a stem. One too many fishbowls, and you're likely to forget your way
home!
  From Quiz: Everything St. Louis
14 Missouri was admitted to the Union in what year?
Answer: 1821

The exact date was August 10, 1821.
  From Quiz: Missouri
15 The Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806 followed the course of what river for much of the way?
Answer: Missouri

While one can take an auto tour of the Lewis and Clark Trail through Missouri, the course of the river has changed considerably since Merry and Bill last saw it.
  From Quiz: Rivers in Missouri
16 The name of the major general store and floating supply store is named after the owner but is also a spoof of a major restaurant chain. What is its name?
Answer: Lenny's

The owner, whose name is actually Denny, was not allowed to name his store Denny's as the restaurant chain already had that name.
  From Quiz: Lesterville, Missouri
17 Perhaps the best-known small town in Missouri is the one known for being a tourist trap, based largely on the world of country music. Which town?
Answer: Branson

Branson (2010 pop. 10,520 people) is also home to one of my favorite theme parks, Silver Dollar City. There's also Ripley's Believe it or not, Shepherd of the Hills, and also a variety of shows (like Yakov Smirnoff, an ABBA Tribute, and the Acrobats of China- just to name a few!)
    Your options: [ Diamond ] [ Branson ] [ Springfield ] [ Neosho ]
  From Quiz: Missouri Small Towns
18 On the way to Knob Lick, Missouri, I passed the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. If I wanted to use the observatory, how would I get up there?
Answer: A small elevator

The famous Gateway Arch is visible all the way from Cahokia, Illinois. The address of the arch is 11. N. Fourth St., St. Louis, Missouri 63102. People mistakenly refer to the Gateway Arch as The Saint Louis Arch.
  From Quiz: Knob Lick, Missouri
19 The Gateway Arch is often pictured with the domed Old Court House beneath it. Which famous 19th century case, eventually heard by the Supreme Court, was first tried here?
Answer: Dred Scott v. Sandford

Dred Scott was a slave that sued for his freedom, since his master had taken Scott and his family to live in free territories. A Missouri jury agreed that the Scott family should be freed, but higher courts disagreed. On March 6, 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens of the U.S. and could not bring a suit in court.
    Your options: [ Dred Scott v. Sandford ] [ Scopes Monkey Trial ] [ Marbury v. Madison ] [ Missouri Compromise ]
  From Quiz: The City of St. Louis
20 The headquarters of the only United States National Forest in Missouri is located in Rolla. Which famous Missourian is the forest named after?
Answer: Mark Twain

Covering almost 1.5 million acres, Mark Twain National Forest can be found in 29 counties throughout Missouri. Although not the largest National Forest in acreage, MTNF is located in more counties than any other.

Harry S Truman (1884-1972) was the 33rd President of the United States and the first president from Missouri. President Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri (in Southwest Missouri) and died in Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 88.

Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) was born in Neosho, Missouri (located in Southwest Missouri) was an American painter and muralist. In 1935, he was commissioned to create a mural for the state capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri. Many consider "A Social History of Missouri" to be Benton's greatest work.


Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) purchased both the St. Louis Dispatch and the St. Louis Post newspapers merging them into the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which continues today as St. Louis' daily newspaper. The Pulitzer Prize journalism award is named for Joseph Pulitzer.
    Your options: [ Harry S Truman ] [ Mark Twain ] [ Thomas Hart Benton ] [ Joseph Pulitzer ]
  From Quiz: Rolla, MO "The Middle of Everywhere"
21 The renowned Lewis and Clark Expedition started in St. Louis. Where is the Museum of Westward Expansion that commemorates this journey?
Answer: Under the Gateway Arch

Lewis and Clark were sent to explore the Louisiana territory by President Thomas Jefferson after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. On this two-year journey, 178 new species of plants and 122 new species of animals were discovered.

Louisiana was purchased from France for about $15,000,000.
  From Quiz: Around St. Louis
22 Jefferson City lies along the Missouri River. How many other state capitals are on the Mighty Mo?
Answer: 2

Pierre, SD, and Bismarck, ND, also border the Missouri. In fact Missouri is seemingly in an endless dispute with those 2 states as to who should control water usage from the Big Muddy.
  From Quiz: Welcome to Missouri's Capital, Jefferson City
23 By the time you get to Branson, it's late and you're ready for bed. To get to your hotel, you'll have to use a very congested road that your guidebook calls "The Strip," the main transportation artery in Branson. What is the real name of the Strip?
Answer: Highway 76

Highway 76 goes by several different names, including Main Street and 76 Country Boulevard. However, it's often referred to simply as "the Strip." The Strip is only three lanes wide (two lanes each way, plus a central turning lane), and is known for nasty bumper-to-bumper traffic.
  From Quiz: A Weekend in Branson
24 Kansas City claims to have more fountains than what city?
Answer: Rome

The second half of that famous ad slogan. It's been around so long, most locals believe it.
  From Quiz: Going to Kansas City
25 One of the most famous World's Fairs was held in St. Louis in what year? "Meet Me in St Louis" starring Judy Garland was set during this time.
Answer: 1904

Thanks to the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis we now enjoy ice cream cones and iced tea. The St. Louis Art Museum and the Flight Cage in the Zoo are a couple of the structures built for the Fair that are still standing. Paris, France hosted the Fair in 1900, Chicago in 1933 and New York City in 1939.
  From Quiz: St. Louis is Famous For...
26 What was the Missouri University of Science and Technology originally named?
Answer: Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy

It was founded in 1870 as the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, and became the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1964 to reflect its location in Rolla, Missouri. To give acknowledgement to the university's predominance of science based courses, the name was then changed in 2008 to the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
  From Quiz: All About Missouri
27 Cape Girardeau has a wall of famous Missourians and people who became famous in Missouri. Who is not on the wall?
Answer: Whitey Herzog

Despite leading the St. Louis Cardinals to three World Series in the 1980s, Whitey never made the wall. Cape Girardeau is Rush's hometown.
  From Quiz: Missouri Oddities
28 What is the name of the heavily traveled trail that runs along the Missouri River almost all the way across the state?
Answer: Katy

The Katy Trail is named for the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, better known as KATY. It is a popular trail for biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing, running 225 miles between St. Charles and Clinton. It is the longest Rails-to-Trails project in America. The trail itself isn't all; one can explore Missouri's heritage in towns along the trail such as Hartsburg, Rocheport, Marthasville, and many others.
  From Quiz: Show Me Missouri
29 What is Missouri's state capital?
Answer: Jefferson City

The capitol building was built in 1917 and is on the south shore of the Missouri River.
  From Quiz: The Show-Me State--Missouri
30 The St. Louis Science Center is located directly off what highway in St. Louis?
Answer: I-64

The Science Center has a glass-encased bridge that runs across Highway 40. Visitors can stand in the bridge and point radar guns at passing traffic.
  From Quiz: Everything St. Louis
31 Missouri was the __th state to join the Union.
Answer: 24

Missouri joined year after Maine, number 23, and fifteen years before the next state admitted, Arkansas.
  From Quiz: Missouri
32 Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) was a river boat pilot on this river.
Answer: Mississippi

Mark Twain wrote of his experiences on the river in a series of articles published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1875.
  From Quiz: Rivers in Missouri
33 Lesterville is a small town. Which number is closest to its population?
Answer: 150

The town has no stoplights and only one small grocery store.
    Your options: [ 850 ] [ 250 ] [ 150 ] [ 450 ]
  From Quiz: Lesterville, Missouri
34 A lot of famous people were born in small towns in Missouri. Samuel Clemens (better known as Mark Twain) grew up in which northeast town?
Answer: Hannibal

Hannibal (2010 pop. 17,916) is a REAL town in the northeast corner of the state. On the other hand, there really isn't a town in Missouri named Lecter. (Saint James and Neosho are also Missouri towns.) Although Clemens was actually born in the town of Florida, MO., he was raised primarily in Hannibal- which is why it was the basis for Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn's home of St. Petersburg.
    Your options: [ Neosho ] [ Hannibal ] [ Saint James ] [ Lecter ]
  From Quiz: Missouri Small Towns
35 Forest Park is the largest park in St. Louis; which park is the largest on the Southside?
Answer: Tower Grove

Tower Grove Park is situated on 289 acres, far smaller than Forest Park's 1371. Tower Grove Park is known for its colorful gazebos, lily ponds and bird watching.
    Your options: [ Tower Grove ] [ Jefferson Barracks ] [ Carondolet ] [ Lafayette ]
  From Quiz: The City of St. Louis
36 Rolla is located almost exactly halfway between which two larger cities?
Answer: St. Louis and Springfield

Interstate 44 runs through Missouri from the Southwest to the Northeast. Rolla is located on I-44 almost exactly halfway between Springfield and St. Louis.
    Your options: [ Kansas City and St. Louis ] [ St. Louis and Springfield ] [ Jefferson City and Columbia ] [ Jefferson City and Springfield ]
  From Quiz: Rolla, MO "The Middle of Everywhere"
37 What is notable about the historic Old Court House in St. Louis?
Answer: It was the site of the first two trials of the Dred Scott cases

The two trials occurred in 1847 and 1850. Dred Scott tried to sue his owner Emerson for emancipation in Scott v. Emerson in 1847. He tried again in 1850's Scott v. Sanford (Sanford was Emerson's legal trustee). In the end, the Supreme Court ruled against Scott.
  From Quiz: Around St. Louis
38 Every Thanksgiving this shopping district begins the holidays by illuminating more than a 280,000 Christmas lights on the buildings.
Answer: Country Club Plaza

The Plaza is said to be the largest outdoor shopping area in America.
    Your options: [ Westport ] [ Zona Rosa ] [ Crown Center ] [ Country Club Plaza ]
  From Quiz: Going to Kansas City
39 What suburb of St. Louis, translated from French to English, means "broken heart"?
Answer: Creve Coeur

Creve Coeur is an upper middle-class neighborhood with some lovely restaurants and a thriving central business district.
  From Quiz: St. Louis Suburbs
40 St. Louis boasts many famous writers but one of its most famous is this poet.
Answer: Maya Angelou

Born Marguerite Johnson on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, Maya Angelou has become one of the most prolific writers of poetry in America. In January 1993, she became only the second poet in U.S. history to have the honor of writing and reciting original work at the Presidential Inauguration of William Jefferson Clinton. The first one was Robert Frost in 1961 who read his work at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. In 1995 she was congratulated by Bantam Books for being the first African-American to be the longest-running (2 years) on The New York Times Paperback Nonfiction Best-seller list.
    Your options: [ Maya Angelou ] [ Emily Dickinson ] [ Robert Browning ] [ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ]
  From Quiz: St. Louis is Famous For...
The rest of the questions and answers can be found in our quizzes here:
Missouri Quizzes