Missouri has a place in America’s history as the Gateway to the West, and St. Louis’s Gateway Arch is an actual representation of this powerful American ideal. Though millions of Americans have passed through Missouri on their way to the big skies, open lands and golden dreams of the West, many have also found all they’re looking for within the bounds of the 24^th state admitted to the Union.

About 5.3 million people call the Show Me State home, and many of them live in Kansas City, Missouri’s largest city. Missouri has several urbanized areas, including St. Louis and Columbia, and together they contain about half the state’s population. Culturally and economically there is a sharp divide between the rural and urban areas, with the urbanized areas being wealthier and considering themselves more culturally Midwestern than Southern. The rural areas have a largely agrarian economy, while the urban economy is anchored by the aerospace and chemical industries as well as printing and publishing and light manufacturing.

The Gateway Arch is Missouri’s famous landmark, and barbeque is its famous food. Particularly, Missouri is known for Kansas City style barbeque-tender, succulent baby back ribs dripping with thick, sweet, tangy sauce. There are over 100 barbeque restaurants in Kansas City, some dating back to the early 1900s, and the city has proclaimed itself the "Barbeque Capital of the World." The perfect accompaniment to Missouri’s trademark food is its trademark drink, beer. Anheuser-Busch, the nation’s largest brewery, is located in St. Louis. For those with palates sophisticated enough to appreciate a bold zinfandel with their barbeque, Missouri has several wineries and wine festivals. Like beer brewing, winemaking was brought to the fertile Missouri valleys by German immigrants in the early 1800s.

When Missouri residents have got their fill of great beer, fine wine and finger-licking food, they can take in the thriving music scene, mostly centered in St. Louis. Missouri has a long history as a home to blues, jazz and ragtime. The St. Louis Symphony-Orchestra is the second oldest in the nation and has won six Grammy Awards. Musicians Ike and Tina Turner, Chuck Berry, Sheryl Crow and Nelly all hail from St. Louis. For Missourians who like their recreation a little rowdier, Missouri has several professional sports teams including two MLB and two NFL teams. Missouri fields an NHL team, a Major League Soccer team and three professional tennis teams.

Whether it’s soaring arches, powerful rivers, luscious wine, tender pork ribs or soulful sounds, the Show Me State has a lot to show you.