Great Missouri Treasure Hunt

Here's some Missouri history for ya!

​History is everywhere--dusty basements, libraries, and now online, too. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan is hoping that people who find pieces of Missouri history will share their treasures, which is why she's launched the Great Missouri Treasure Hunt.

The contest is open to anyone, anywhere in the world who has found a great piece of Missouri history. It recalls grade-school show-and-tell: you can either have a physical object, like letters, books, clothes or photographs; or it can be a building or structure; or even just the story of an item that you don't actually have.

And, with a whole lot of history now online, you can go on the hunt without leaving your living room, if you're so inclined. (As we reported back in February, the Missouri Digital Heritage has death certificates from everyone who died in Missouri up until 50 years ago, as well as all kinds of cool farm records, photos, genealogy records and tons more.) Plenty of state archives are online as well.

So get busy! You have until the end of August to submit entries in three categories: Family History, Civil War History and Missouri History. Send a 500-word essay about the treasure, and videos or photos if you have them. (Check out the detailed entry instruction here.)

A panel of judges, including Secretary Carnahan, will determine the finalists. Those entries will go online in September, and voting will determine the winners. Those lucky history buffs will get cool Missouri-history themed prizes and be included in the 2011-2012 Official Manual of the State of Missouri.