Changes

Following their admission to the [[United States of America|Union]] as a state in 1820, Missouri legislators established a commission to determine the site of the new state capital; it had just moved from St. Louis to St. Charles on the lower Missouri, but there was general support for having a capital near the geographic center of the state. The commission, having been instructed to choose a site somewhere along the Missouri, and no more than 40 miles west of the mouth of the [[Osage River]], selected a point at the mouth of Wier's Creek, a few miles west of the Osage, in 1821, confirmed by the legislature before year's end. The ''Missourian'' (St. Charles) announced on January 17, 1822 that the new capital would be called the City of Jefferson, "in honor of the late President Jefferson, whose treaty bound us to the Union."<ref>https://shsmo.org/collections/manuscripts/ramsay/cole</ref>

Following their admission to the [[United States of America|Union]] as a state in 1820, Missouri legislators established a commission to determine the site of the new state capital; it had just moved from St. Louis to St. Charles on the lower Missouri, but there was general support for having a capital near the geographic center of the state. The commission, having been instructed to choose a site somewhere along the Missouri, and no more than 40 miles west of the mouth of the [[Osage River]], selected a point at the mouth of Wier's Creek, a few miles west of the Osage, in 1821, confirmed by the legislature before year's end. The ''Missourian'' (St. Charles) announced on January 17, 1822 that the new capital would be called the City of Jefferson, "in honor of the late President Jefferson, whose treaty bound us to the Union."<ref>https://shsmo.org/collections/manuscripts/ramsay/cole</ref>

Jefferson City was incorporated as a city in 1825, and the state legislature moved there the following year, after the construction of a capitol building. Despite this, its status as the capital was not secure for some time, as several other cities in central Missouri, including Columbia to the north, campaigned for the seat of government to be transferred to their own communities. This uncertainty lasted until Governor John Miller, who supported keeping the capital in its present location, suggested the building of a state penitentiary at Jefferson City. Constructed east of the original settlement, the penitentiary was completed in 1836. Despite a fire that destroyed the capitol the following year, the town's position was cemented from that point on. An effort to move the capital west to Sedalia was made as late as 1896, but this was decisively defeated in a referendum.

Jefferson City was incorporated as a city in 1825, and the state legislature moved there the following year, after the construction of a capitol building. Despite this, its status as the capital was not secure for some time, as several other cities in central Missouri, including Columbia to the north, campaigned for the seat of government to be transferred to their own communities. This uncertainty lasted until Governor John Miller, who supported keeping the capital in its present location, suggested the building of a state penitentiary at Jefferson City. Constructed east of the original settlement, the penitentiary was completed in 1836. Despite a fire that destroyed the capitol the following year, the town's position was cemented from that point on. An effort to move the capital west to Sedalia was made as late as 1896, but this was decisively defeated in a referendum.<ref>http://www.jeffersoncitymo.gov/live_play/history_heritage/index.php</ref>

Settlement increased steadily through the antebellum era; by 1840, Jefferson City had a population of 1,174, and regular visits by steamboats and stagecoaches encouraged commercial activity beyond the business of state government. Railroad service to St. Louis began in 1856 via the Missouri Pacific Railroad, which had its western terminus in the city for some years. Given its importance, the city was troubled early on in the [[Civil War]], as [[Union]] and [[Confederate]] factions--the latter including then-governor Claiborne Fox Jackson--struggled to gain control of the Missouri government. In the summer of 1861, after Governor Jackson attempted to lead the state militia to join the Confederate forces, pro-Union volunteers from St. Louis (many of them recent German immigrants) marched into the city and set up their own regime, and the capital remained in Union hands for the rest of the war. The only serious threat came in 1864, when a Confederate raid under General [[Sterling Price]] passed near to the city; but it continued west rather than attempt a drawn-out battle with the fortified garrison.

Settlement increased steadily through the antebellum era; by 1840, Jefferson City had a population of 1,174, and regular visits by steamboats and stagecoaches encouraged commercial activity beyond the business of state government. Railroad service to St. Louis began in 1856 via the Missouri Pacific Railroad, which had its western terminus in the city for some years. Given its importance, the city was troubled early on in the [[Civil War]], as [[Union]] and [[Confederate]] factions--the latter including then-governor Claiborne Fox Jackson--struggled to gain control of the Missouri government. In the summer of 1861, after Governor Jackson attempted to lead the state militia to join the Confederate forces, pro-Union volunteers from St. Louis (many of them recent German immigrants) marched into the city and set up their own regime, and the capital remained in Union hands for the rest of the war. The only serious threat came in 1864, when a Confederate raid under General [[Sterling Price]] passed near to the city; but it continued west rather than attempt a drawn-out battle with the fortified garrison.