From book: Missouri was the land of the Osage and their rival tribes. The jumping-off place for Lewis and Clark's expedition of discovery. The early home to French trappers, mountain men, and Spanish garrisons and churches. In the wake of the American Revolution, it was the siren call for frontiersmen and land-hujbry farmers out of British America. By the mid-1800s, it was the gateway to the West for thousands of migrants headed for the gold mines of California, for the unspoiled new lands of Oregon, and for the trade riches offered by the Sante Fe Trail. Hundreds of thousands passed through or stayed a while, leaving traces for descendants who seek their records. This guide is intended to familiarize researchers with the state's original and published resources, as well as the repositories that preserve this material.