Spain governed the Missouri region from 1770 until October 1, 1800, according to the Missouri State Archives, and Kansas City and St. Louis each have a Hispanic organization with its own site.
This is a short page because we only print what an official page says. The Spanish period comes from the Missouri State Archives. Present-day organizations are described in their own words. No resident is named.
Spanish Rule in Missouri
The Missouri State Archives timeline records how Spain came to govern the region (Missouri State Archives: Timeline 1673-1820, undated):
| Date | What the timeline says |
|---|---|
| November 3, 1762 | The Treaty of Fontainebleau transferred French Louisiana to Spain. Spain ratified it November 13 and France November 23. |
| May 20, 1770 | Spain officially took control. |
| January 23, 1798 | Spanish Lieutenant Governor Zenon Trudeau granted Daniel Boone 1,000 arpents. |
| October 1, 1800 | Spain returned Louisiana to France under the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso. |
The same timeline dates the founding of St. Louis to February 15, 1764 and says Ste. Genevieve, established by 1750, was one of the original five districts on October 1, 1804.
Ste. Genevieve
The National Park Service says Ste. Genevieve, established by 1750, was the first permanent European settlement in Missouri, and that the town moved to higher ground after the flood of 1785. The NPS pages we read call it a French colonial town and do not mention Spanish rule, and the state park page for the Felix Valle House says the same of its “early French roots.” We therefore do not call any building there Spanish. See Ste. Genevieve and Felix Valle House State Historic Site.
Hispanic and Latino Organizations Today
- Guadalupe Centers Inc., Kansas City. Its stated mission is to improve lives in Latino communities throughout the Kansas City area. Programs include early childhood education, family support, older adults, youth development, workforce development and charter schools. 1015 Avenida Cesar E Chavez, (816) 421-1015. guadalupecenters.org, read October 31, 2026.
- Hispanic Festival, Inc., St. Louis. A volunteer-led group that says it has brought Hispanic communities together for over 30 years. Its home page, read October 31, 2026, lists Dia de los Muertos from November 7, 2026, 10 a.m. to November 8, 2026, 10 a.m., at the Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd. It printed no 2026 festival dates. hispanicfestivalstl.com.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is printed as September 15 to October 15 on the federal site hispanicheritagemonth.gov.
What We Could Not Verify
- Missouri’s Hispanic population: the Census Bureau page did not load for us, so we print no figure.
- Spanish-era buildings or sites: no official page we read names one in Missouri.
- Cinco de Mayo and other festival dates: not checked. Open the organizer’s page.
- Hispanic Festival 2026 dates: not printed on the page we read.
- The Library of Congress and National Park Service Hispanic Heritage Month pages were not read; the dates come from hispanicheritagemonth.gov.
- The date of the State Archives timeline: no date shown.
More Missouri Guides
Questions People Ask
Did Spain rule Missouri?
The Missouri State Archives timeline says Spain officially took control on May 20, 1770 and returned Louisiana to France on October 1, 1800.
When is National Hispanic Heritage Month?
September 15 to October 15, as printed on hispanicheritagemonth.gov.
Sources
- Missouri State Archives: Timeline 1673-1820
- NPS: Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park
- NPS: Ste. Genevieve history and culture
- Missouri State Parks: Felix Valle House
- Guadalupe Centers
- Hispanic Festival, Inc.
- National Hispanic Heritage Month
Checked October 30, 2026 by It’s Missouri. Cite this page: It’s Missouri (https://itsmissouri.com/history/hispanic-heritage-in-missouri/), checked October 30, 2026. Free to quote with a link.