Key Takeaways
Somestate nicknamesmake sodding sense : The Aloha State ( Hawaii ) , the Empire State ( New York ) , even the Beaver State ( Oregon ) . But some labels are a picayune less intuitive and require a fiddling more dig to figure out . The Show - me State for illustration ? What exactly does Missouri desire to be shown and why ?
Like all greatlegends , this one does n’t have a single origin history , but there’sone theorythat ’s considered more believable than others . Many believe that Missouri ’s U.S. Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver , who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1897 to 1903 , is the one creditworthy for bestowing the nickname . During his time as a member of the U.S. House Committee on Naval Affairs , Vandiver travel to Philadelphia in 1899 to look a naval banquet .
During his spoken language at the naval event , Vandiver tell , " I make out from a United States Department of State that raise corn and cotton and cocklebur and Democrats , and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor fulfil me . I am from Missouri . You have got to show me . " It ’s not totally exonerated whether Vandiver originated the " show - me " sentiment or if he was just the one who popularized it , but the moniker continues to be tied to him .
There are other possible explanation behind the moniker , too . Some believe the " show - me " title actually originates from aderogatory referenceto Missouri mineworker who worked in Leadville , Colorado . man from Joplin , Missouri , went to play in Colorado during that state ’s miner strike in the former 1900s . Rumor has it that these out - of - townsman were so unfamiliar with Colorado mining practices that they needed a lot of direction . The result was conversation that started with statements like , " That human race is from Missouri — you ’ll have to show him . "
Another " show - me " origin story insinuates that the name refers to passenger gear since hundreds of spare train pass were given to Missouri legislators in the late 1800s . Apparently , to aver their complementary menu , the conductors would say , " You ’ve start to show me . "
And just in case you needed one last possible source to satisfy your curiosity , there ’s the theory that during the Spanish - American War , gate guards from St. Louis , Missouri , told any soldier who want to leave alone the camping site to go to township to " show " his pass .
