Illustrious Individuals

Illustrious Individuals. . Harry S. Truman , 1884-1972 | BORN IN LAMAR, MO , This statesman grew up in Independence, MO, and later became the 33rd President of the United States. A world war one veteran, Truman served as an Army Captain in France. After his wartime service, Truman returned to Independence, married and, in 1934, was elected U.S. Senator from Missouri. In 1944, he became U.S. Vice President. Upon the death of Roosevelt in 1945, Truman assumed the Presidency, serving eight years. During his 1948 campaign, Truman traveled the country by train, giving "whistle stop" speeches from the rear platform. These drew huge crowds, including his stop here in Cape Girardeau. He is known for implementing the $13-billion Marshall Plan to rebuild postwar Europe, the establishment of the Truman Doctrine and NATO to contain communism, for intervening in the Korean War, proposing the Fair Deal, helping found the United Nations, overseeing the Berlin Airlift of 1948 and more. , George Washington Carver , 1864-1943 BORN IN DIAMOND GROVE, MO , Time Magazine once called this great scientist, educator, botanist and inventor a "Black Leonardo." Born to parents who were slaves, Carver became the first black student to attend Iowa State Agriculture College. His research gained him national recognition as a botanist. During his nearly 50 years at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he discovered hundreds of uses for peanuts, soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. Carver also taught farmers how to improve their depleted soils through crop rotation. Refusing to benefit from his accomplishments, he donated his life savings to establish the Carver Research Foundation at Tuskegee. Buried beside Booker T. Washington in Tuskegee, Carver's grave reads "He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world." President Roosevelt dedicated funds for the George Washington Carver National Monument near Diamond Grove, MO, where Carver was born. This was the first national monument dedicated to an African American and the first to honor someone other than a president. President Truman was conscientiously precise and honest and established a reputation for speaking the truth He had two signs on his desk. One quoted Mark Twain: "Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. The other sign quoted Truman and read "The buck stops here. , ADDITIONAL CLAIMS TO FAME , The most powerful EARTHQUAKE to strike the US. occurred in 1811 and centered in New Madrid, MO, just 56 miles south of this location. The quake shook more than one million square miles and was felt as far as 1,000 miles away. , In 1912, the first successful PARACHUTE JUMP to be made from a moving airplane was accomplished St. Louis by Captain Berry. , At the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, Richard Blechyden served tea with ice, inventing ICED TEA , Kansas City, MO, has more miles of BOULEVARDS than Paris and more FOUNTAINS than any city except Rome. , Missouri is home to more than 7,300 CAVES, making the state second in quantity to only Tennessee.