On
May 31, 1995, Governor Mel Carnahan signed a bill designating
the Missouri mule as the official state animal. The mule
is a hybrid, the offspring of a mare (female horse) and a jack
(male donkey). After its introduction to the state in the 1820s,
the mule quickly became popular with farmers and settlers because
of its hardy nature. Missouri mules pulled pioneer wagons to
the Wild West during the 19th century and played a crucial role
in moving troops and supplies in World Wars I and II. For decades,
the Show Me State was the nation's premier mule producer.
RSMo 10.110) |
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