1850
The monument on the left commemorates the Honey War, and the marker on the right signals the start of the Sullivan Line. Together, these structures represent Missouri’s Honey War. The war was a bloodless territorial dispute between Iowa and Missouri over a 9.5-mile strip running the length of their border. This conflict erupted in 1839 after confusion over Native American treaties, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Missouri Constitution on Boundaries. A physical battle never occurred, but the two states fought it out in the Supreme Court Case, State of Missouri v. State of Iowa (1849). The Supreme Court ruled in Iowa’s favor that the Sullivan Line would remain as Missouri’s northern border. Commissioners appointed by the U.S. government designated the border with the iron marker in 1850. Years later, the Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution, Chapter NSDAR, added the stone monument to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Honey War. This monument and marker stand as a reminder of Missouri’s bloodless fight for its most northern territory.
Object Details
Categories: Politics & Government, War & Conflict
Date: 1850
Subject: Boundaries, State
Contributing Institution: KBIA Public Broadcasting
Rights: Image courtesy of KBIA Broadcasting - Columbia, Missouri
County: Worth
Region: Northwest
Type: Object
Language: English
Latitude: 40.571082
Longitude: -94.603385