Since becoming a city in 1838, Springfield has seen a lot of changes. From a Civil War battle and a quick-draw shootout downtown to the naming of Route 66 and a VJ Day celebration that filled the square. Here is a quick summary of Springfield’s history and a few photos of how the city has changed.
A Timeline of Springfield History
1838 - Springfield incorporated
1838 - Trail of Tears passes through the city
1861 - Battle of Wilson’s Creek
1862 - Fantastic Caverns discovered
1863 - Battle of Springfield fought downtown
1865 - “Wild Bill” Hickok Shootout
1870 - Railroad arrives
1870 - Lindberg’s Tavern opened (It’s still
operating on Commercial Street.)
1906 - Infamous lynching on the square
1906 - Classes met for the first time at State
Normal, now Missouri State University
1909 - The Landers Theatre opened
1913 - Fire destroyed almost all the buildings
on the northeast corner of Park Central
Square
1913 - Pythian Castle was built
1919 - Springfield was known as the largest
horse and mule market in the world
1922 - Dickerson Park Zoo opened
1923 - Shrine Mosque dedicated
1926 - Route 66 named
1926 - Gillioz Theatre opened
1928 - Springfield Art Museum established
1932 - Young Brothers Massacre
1933 - Springfield Symphony founded
1934 - Springfield Little Theatre established
1937 - Street car service ended
1950 - Wilson’s Creek Battlefield Foundation
formed
1953 - The Cobra Scare
1955 - Ozark Jubilee begins airing
1963 - Springfield-style Cashew Chicken
invented
1970 - Battlefield Mall opened
1971 - Bass Pro Shops® established
1991 - Ozark Greenways established
1994 - Missouri Sports Hall of Fame opened
1998 - Discovery Center opened
2004 - Hammons Field baseball stadium
opened
2016 - Route 66 Car Museum opened
2018 - Wonders of Wildlife National Museum &
Aquarium named best new attraction
by "USA Today"
2019 - History Museum on the Square named
best new attraction by "USA Today"
More Resources
