Middle School
Worksheets
Missouri State Nicknames
The official nickname for the state of Missouri is the "Show Me State." There are several versions of how this nickname came to be. The most widely known version gives credit to U.S. Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver. Vandiver served in the House of Representatives from 1897 to 1905. It is reported that while attending a banquet he questioned the previous speaker's comments with these remarks:
"I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me."
There are other versions of this nickname that might be considered less flattering. Regardless of its origin, the slogan is now used to indicate the sturdy, conservative, and not easy to fool character of Missourians.
Another of Missouri's nicknames, "The Cave State," refers to its unique geology. This nickname refers to the over 5,600 caves that are registered in the state. Twenty of them are public "show" caves that are open to the public with guided tours.
