Missouri

A preference for action over talk runs deep in Missouri, a trait so central to local identity that it gave the state its nickname, “The Show Me State,” tied to an 1899 remark from a Missouri lawmaker that fancy words did not convince him. That practical mindset likely comes from the state’s position as a genuine crossroads between North and South, East and West.

St. Louis—Missouri’s second-largest city—and Kansas City hold a real, friendly rivalry, especially around barbecue style and baseball, and Missourians take the distinction between the two cities seriously. Toasted ravioli and gooey butter cake are St. Louis specialties, while “burnt ends” define Kansas City barbecue.

The Gateway Arch honors the state’s role in westward expansion, and the Ozark Mountains offer a quieter, rural counterpoint to the state’s two major cities.