Missouri’s nickname, the “Show-me State,” has uncertain origins, but is commonly attributed to a speech by former Congressman Willard Vandiver or Missouri miners in Colorado. The term has become associated with the state’s pragmatic and realistic approach to everyday affairs.
Missouri’s nickname as the “Show-me State” comes from an ultimately undetermined source, although there are a number of different stories and legends regarding the phrase and how it has become connected to the state. Among these various stories, the two most common and popular involve a speech given by former Congressman Willard Vandiver or the use of miners from Missouri to replace striking miners in Colorado. Either way, the phrase became indelibly connected to Missouri and has been known as the Show-me State ever since.
The most common source for the nickname for Missouri comes from a speech given by a former state congressman and his disbelief regarding political affairs. While he didn’t directly indicate that he was from the Show-me State, he may have coined the phrase or at least certainly popularized it and cemented his place in state history. Representative Willard Duncan Vandiver was a United States (US) Congressman and served during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Vandiver also served on the United States House Committee on Naval Affairs and spoke at a naval banquet in 1899. In this speech he is said to have been commenting on the virtues of his home state of Missouri and commented that because he was from Missouri, that others should show him something, rather than just saying something with nothing tangible behind it. While many people consider this speech to be the origin of the Show-me State nickname, some research has shown the use of the term prior to this address.
Other stories indicate that the nickname originated in reference to a group of Missouri miners who went to Colorado to replace Colorado’s striking miners. These Missourians were unfamiliar with Colorado mining practices and reportedly required frequent instruction regarding the regulations and procedures for mining in Colorado. The story goes that other miners commented on the Missouri miners and indicated to each other that they should “show them” how to do everything.
Regardless of the nickname’s origins, residents of the Show-me State have begun to embrace the term as an indicator of pragmatism and realism in everyday affairs. The nickname remains unofficial, although “Show-me State” is stamped on the plates for Missouri. Missouri is also called the “Cave State,” due to the more than 6,000 caves found throughout the state, and “The Mother of the West,” due to the high number of pioneers who departed from Missouri.
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